Sailor Moon Odeum Droculus
by LeGrande Grover
Summary: Kage, now possessing the Ryuugan, or Dragon Eyes, leaves Tokyo and the peace earned by the Sailor senshi and his beloved Makoto. Seeking to atone, he goes to China to search for the Keeper of the Dragons. His fate is seeded, but by love or insanity?
1. Dragon at the Gates

**Sailor Moon Odeum; Droculus**

Chapter One – Dragon at the Gates

It had been a long winter. In fact, it had been the longest winter that Kage could remember. The expanse of cold and bitter days seemed endless, a droning blend of gray skies merging together into one seemingly endless twilight that had also drove him into folly - faded and jaded the very essence of him. There almost wasn't a single moment that he could separate from another, for it all seemed like one long nightmare to him. The screams and hollowing shrieks of a thousand poor souls cried out in his mind as payment and recompense for the terrible things he had done in that sweltering haze of hatred-swept memories. If he stared too long into the recent past, he would find himself unable to find a solitary purpose to his continued existence and would let dire thoughts take him to a final place.

In retrospect, there was one element of that dream-state that was easy to single out and grab onto for comfort and commitment.

Her.

She was the reason. She was the reason for everything now. With all of the talk and show of gods and devils, Kage could not help but to wonder of fate and some kind of cosmological design that was being played upon by some greater force, like fingers through string and wood. But really, thinking about that was not his kind of thing. He would leave that sort of thing to the mystics and the scholars - the Yamitos and the Kurais of the world. No, all he thought about now was her.

That made him chuckle to himself. If only she knew how she was on his mind now, considering the long and dismal night they had weathered to get to this point. He had put her through hell, but she had remained devoted to him and determined to break him from the superficial madness that had turned him from a beast of majesty to a creature of terror. That girl still loved him even after he had beaten her, though he had taken just as many in return. The fact that she readily could beat him senseless was one aspect of his attraction that still sent a quiver of delight through his spine and caused an uncontrollable smile to creep over his face. It was one among countless others that was the source of this mental obsession with the girl he had left behind in order to regain himself and estimate his worth as a lover. Such was the burden of a warrior's code. It was nothing compared to the lover's code, but he would work on that when he could conquer the lighter. Taming the fear in his heart was the only thing he could think of to prove his devotion to her, as if it could somehow equal the pain she had gone through because of him. But he could not allow himself to be with her while this fear ate away at his already fragile state of being; to burn what frail bridges had been built in the name of love.

If it was the last thing he did, he would purify himself of doubt and fear - fear that could bring tears to that girl once more. Such was the foundation for his journey.

* * *

That night still lingered in his mind and pleasantly stayed fresh to his memory, if only because he would not let one detail slip away. It had one of those nights where the air was so biting with cold that it felt like it was scalding your skin, yet the world had no hold on the detached hours spent in her apartment. Even the windows had frosted over on the outside, as if to shroud them from all other things. Yes, that night was a treasure that defied his ability to describe it in clumsy words. He had laid at her side for hours, staring at her with his newly bestowed Ryuugan so hard that he feared they would somehow radiate his new obsession. She had fallen asleep some time before, but he could not let sleep take him when he knew what the next day held for him – for them both. It had been the first time he had ever laid on a sleepless night, and felt grateful that he could not find a temporary peace in sleep, instead feeling grateful that it would not come and take him away. His fingers had stubbornly continued to stroke the length of her arm, trying to soak up her soft skin in preparation for the morning, no matter how hard he tried to leave her undisturbed. A few times, she had stirred, lost in dreams that twisted her brow but never woke her. He wondered what she dreamed about, idly. Then she would always nestle in closer to him and an unconscious smile would sneak over her lips, causing him lose the pensive expression he was wearing and smile as well. That last night had been all about her, yet he was still finding time to be selfish and saturate himself with her being.

The Ryuugan were truly incredible. It had only been a matter of weeks since they had been put upon him, yet he already knew more about the nature of existence than he could even try to comprehend. Everything he saw now was in layers. He could see just as anyone else could, yet there were such brilliant colors superimposed over it that sometimes he felt that reality might be blotted out by them. 'Colors' was not even accurate; it was more like metallic, inky splotches that moved like light reflecting off of water, prone to any given stimulus that would send it all into madness and then settle just as quickly as it started. He had given up trying to explain it to her. He lacked the brainpower. Instead, he simply told her that when he looked upon her now, he could only think of an old poem written by Basho he had read in his younger days. When she heard it, she blushed wildly and seemed content with the explanation.

_From all directions  
Winds bring petals of cherry  
Into the grebe lake._

However, he had pondered upon her appearance greatly. The aura she possessed due to her powers as a soldier was fairly standard, at least to him. Like the frills and ribbons of her uniform, it was a brilliant green that had almost blinded him the first time he looked at her, like a newborn opening its eyes to the world for the first time. Had she known just how powerful she was, he feared she might even become an arrogant idiot like he was. No, he knew she was too good for that. Even if she had known, she would still be the caring thoughtful girl that had broken him. No, that wasn't right either. She hadn't broken him.

She had fixed him.

What he hadn't expected was the other part of her, the deeper and more impressive aura that enveloped her even without her uniform. It was white, not marred by colors or any kind of hue that would take away its brilliance. In fact, he swore, at times when he wasn't looking right at her but she was still well within sight, that he saw beautiful glowing wings spreading out from her in a display that awed him and even took his breath away, Whenever he turned to look, all he saw was afterthoughts, yet he could not deny the fact that they had been there. All of them had a semblance of these wings, even Kurai, Suteki and the unforgiven Yamito. This fact hit him hard as he had not yet seen any trace of such brilliance on himself, as he stared at himself in the mirror in her bathroom. It was not surprising to him, for his sins had been great and his mind still teetering from side to side, and because he had fallen so far from the graces of his birthright, he felt that the stain he could bring to her flawless being was too much a danger and that he would truly never forgive himself if he were to diminish it even slightly.

So, he left that morning.

It had been warmer than expected, that morning that promised an unclouded day, but he still shivered as he told her that he was leaving. He hadn't even had the courage to look at her when he said it, showing just how pathetic he really was and propelling him in his opinion that he was too dirty, too soiled for her fair life.

It was silent for awhile, with his majestic Ryuugan cast away from her and his ears listening to her shallow breathing. It was stupid to wonder if she was hurt, but it couldn't be helped. Later that day everyone had agreed to meet in the park for a picnic, and the day had even lent itself well for the purpose, yet this decision meant that she would be going alone – alone again. Yamito would be there as well, but Kage was running away from that too. This recently found cowardice sent a chill of disgust through him, yet he would not change his mind. It was something he had to do. He hoped she would understand.

Then, she had stepped forward and slipped her arms around him, pulling him hard against her and laying her face across his chest. Again, she didn't say anything, but rather just wanted to be held and comforted in this cruel and twisted thing he was doing to her. Closing his mystical eyes, he just held her as tightly as he could allow, waiting for her to rattle with tears in his arms. But she denied him. All she did was whisper to him, her voice surprisingly powerful for its volume.

"You know how much I love you, right?' she had said.

Kage had winced at first, then pondered the question lightly. She loved him completely, even ferociously. His body still ached from a few beatings she had put him through in order to get it into his thick head that she felt this way. All that she had done to profess her love for him ran through his mind, yet all of the grand things she had done seemed sullied by his simple response. "Yeah," he said.

But, it appeased her and she looked up at him, forcing him to open his eyes as she placed her hands on his cheeks and made him look down into her enamored eyes. His own Ryuugan seemed to pale in comparison, yet she did not look away. "Then go. Find whatever you need to find. Even if you fail, or you get too tired to go on, I'll be here waiting…in our home," she said with a smile and slipped her hands from his cheeks, moving to her ear as she fiddled with something.

Home? Their home? It made Kage wince, it was so good. He had a home now? He could say that he never had a home, but that wasn't true. Even though he had lost his parents when he was young, he had always been home when Mika was with him. His younger sister had been his entire life, and even if they had no place to sleep sometimes or the Child Agencies tried to separate them into foster homes, he had held tightly to her and preserved his only family through plight and predicament. For a long time, the monastery where Kage learned his Ryuskuuken style of fighting was home, for it was where he spent the happiest days with Mika. Then, his world was crushed and he was sent into chaos when she, along with all of the monks, were killed by his great foes. After that, for years upon years, he had no home. He lived through death and war and never called anywhere his own, mostly because his Earth was crumbling around him. Even though his friends had been with him, he was too broken to allow them close, to let them be shredded upon the shards of his soul. No, he was destitute from then on, not caring enough about anything to want a home, or even need one. His revenge kept him focused on those long, sleepless nights.

It shocked him as she placed it in his hand, letting his Ryuugan look over the precious item and the significance it possessed. He knew that it meant a lot to her, so he looked to her in an uneasy fashion. She just laughed lightly and closed his hand. "Please wear it for me? I want you to remember that you always have a place here," she said, endlessly able to show him how beautiful she was. Even as tears were held back in the corners of her eyes, she smiled and made him feel loved – assured him that she would never give up on him. It hollowed him out, thinking how amazing this girl was. It only made him more determined to cleanse himself.

Placing his free hand to cradle her loving face, he failed to hold back his smile and took one long, last breath of her pure essence. "I will," he answered, and closed his hand around the object, which by its very nature pierced his skin and stung his hand. But he didn't care. She still wore the locket around his neck that had meant so much to him, the one that held a picture of a young Kage and Mika, but now also framed into the opposite slot was a cheap photograph of Kage and Makoto taken from one of those booths meant for schoolgirls and kids. But she had gone on about how much she loved it, so he had put into the locket as well.

Now, something that she cherished was in his hand and bound to stay with him. This gift was one that he would cherish, and protect to the very end.

* * *

A sudden lurch of the train jarred him from his daydreaming and Kage yawned, inwardly cursing the distance between where he was and where he had to be. The train ride had been droning on much like a winter day despite the Chinese countryside basking in Spring's warmth, a rattle and hum of unsure location but ultimate destination. At least this time, Kage knew it would end soon. After all, his ticket showed him a finite time and destination, like a fortune teller's prediction but only far more probable and much less mystic. By this time, he had sworn to himself that he would not look out the window again and try to mediate the things that he saw in the blurring countryside of Jiangsu province. These god-given Ryuugan eyes he possessed now were overwhelming at times, but twice as much when trying to comprehend the lives of a hundred-thousand Chinese citizens in the passing of a callous train ride's invasion into pain, joy and the mundane. With the amazing spectrum visible to him now, it was all he could do in order to maintain his orientation when standing still in a crowd, so moving across populated areas was far more than he could handle.

"These Ryuugan," he thought to himself, "are as much a curse as a gift." True, Kage's fighting ability now transcended even his own wildest dreams and the things he now knew of existence would have made wise men quote equations and scientists say prayers, but it was also because he knew of these things that made the Ryuugan take on a decidedly darker tone. If Kage was a cynic before, the things he saw now placed him in an entirely new level of disgust with the bowels of humanity.

Had it not been for her, Kage could have easily turned back into the villain he once was. Once again, he chuckled as his thoughts turned back to her, his head turning without thought to glance into the countryside even against the throbbing pain in his head. His fingers had been toying with the rose earring in his left ear since he had gotten on the train, and he found himself doing very often without thinking. It was becoming a habit now, the hard edges of the rose stinging the ends of his fingers but still remaining as a pleasant distraction from his solitude. It made him think of her, even as he stared out over the blurring blues, greens and browns of the countryside. Idly, he did not see the inky splotches of humanity that was visible in every moment of the day, but rather a pale, blurry reflection of her in the infinitely vast space between the pane of glass and the background of passing green and blue.

For a moment, he even blinked and wondered if it was real; her smiling face and loving green eyes beckoning him to return to her. It was the lurching of the train as it slowed that brought him from his daydream once more and back to his reality. After glancing about the car the moment after their break in speed, Kage looked back to the window and found nothing but the inky splotches once more, the seeded hate and misery present in the world today. She had regressed to his memory once more.

"It's about time we got there," he snorted under his breath and slipped his broad sunglasses over his face again, apprehensive about facing the world once more through eyes that viewed every thought, moment of sin or potential suffering.

Stepping out onto the platform, Kage's bag came down with a muffled thud and he took the moment to stretch himself out, letting his muscles and joints breathe and move after sitting in that train car for eleven hours. The rush of blood relit his desire to find the person he was looking for and the sign at the platform told him that he was in the right city.

Five days had been spent in Beijing – five days of scouring the back alleys of an insanely large city hoping to stumble across any information about the man he had been instructed to find when these Ryuugan were bestowed.

_In the ancient middle land of your world, you will find the keeper of the dragons. This man will show you the true nature of the Ryuugan. Seek him out, young dragon. Seek out Liu Kuan Yin._

The voice had been frightening, and even as Kage lie dying at the hands of his greatest foes, it shook him with fear. Then, in that pallid flash of light, he had been given these mystic Ryuugan eyes, the eyes of the dragons, and allowed to fulfill his revenge. Yes, he still did not know why. As a Scion, he knew his duties and why he possessed his powers, yet the moment he died was the exact moment he was born again, born with these new abilities that defied his wildest dreams. His Acrolyth Scion form was nothing compared to it. Despite that fact, he was merely human and no longer had any purpose to his power. Power without purpose becomes destructive, and Kage yearned to know why he was given the Ryuugan.

So, he left his beloved and newly earned peace to find it, traveling to the middle country and searching out this Lui Kuan Yin. Logic promised that he would be able to find this man easily in China, making him eager to finish and return to his new home. At least, he thought this at first. Chinese was far more difficult to muddle through than he thought it would be, so Kage often got cities and names wrong. Also, no one seemed to know this man, and Beijing had turned into dead end for him. Such was only a fraction of the difficulties he had suffered thus far in the quest to find the purpose of these Ryuugan granted on him by the steward of the dragons. Then, seeing the distant glow night after night to the Southeast, he got on a train and headed towards it. He didn't know what it was, but he did know that the Ryuugan promised something of interest there, for it lingered just beyond the horizon like a distant city at night, beckoning him to come.

After re-assessing his situation and re-reading the sign a few more times, Kage let out a forlorn sigh and slung his bag over his shoulder, taking a look up through the dark lenses of his sunglasses to look at the bright, yet wholly singular beauty of the sun. In preparation for his assault on the unsuspecting bowels of China and as a product of the change in his powers, Kage had altered his image. His hair was the only thing that he kept the same, for the throw-back onto the ancient days of bushido set well with him and conveniently kept his long hair out of his eyes. Good for fighting; bad for fashion. He didn't care about fashion anyway. Everyone looked at him with his hair tied back like some wandering samurai, even when he was still in Japan, but it only proved to amuse him and validate keeping it that way. Also, his clothes were very loud. A dark teal, hooded jacket was as far from his last uniform as a Scion as one could get, with yellow stripes running down the sleeves and a distinctly shimmering appearance from the fabric. He wore yellow pants that had a contrasting dark teal stripe running down the sides, with dark boots sheathed over his great weapons. Because the Ryuugan now set him so out of place, Kage wore bizarre sunglasses that were a single dark lens held by an elastic strap around his head. In the lenses, right over his eyes, were single lengths of red plastic that distorted the vision of a normal viewer, but, for him, were points of reference against the wild chaos visible to the Ryuugan. With a single rose earring in one ear, a platinum hoop in the other and a wry grin over his face at the reactions of the world, Kage adjusted on his shoulder the bag containing all personal belongings he bought in Beijing and smiled wider at the welcoming of the Shanghai sun. "Looks like I need to stop and ask directions like a good little tourist," he remarked and moved into the flowing streets of the city.


	2. Eyes Fell Upon Him

**Chapter Two – Eyes Fell Upon Him**

The fifth and final man hit the ground in a heap on top of the others, making this pile-of-thugs complete and a pleasing display to its maker and architect. "Well, maybe I ain't so good," Kage remarked as he lifted the last man's wallet, taking a careful moment to read the man's identity as best he could before taking the money out and tossing it back on the pile with the others.

Of course, Kage had promised himself that he would act more like someone that could be associated with his significant other or her friends, but honestly, he was having a hard time giving up the things he liked to do. To stop smoking was hard enough, for that little habit kicked at him every moment it was allowed, but to stop beating up thugs for their money? That was a small joy that he couldn't part with so easily. Besides, the train ticket had exhausted the last of his money and he needed to earn a living somehow. Working a normal job was for normal people, not him. Letting them try to mug him first made it somehow seem less wrong and he would simply let himself believe that she wouldn't be too angry about it. "It should count a little, right Ma..." With a quick glance, Kage whipped his head towards the bright mouth of the side street where the sun was unhindered by the buildings around him, almost certain that he had seen another figure just waiting to stroll out and smugly lecture him about the evils of mugging muggers. Of course, this too was only in his memory and he laughed to himself, turning back to his would-be muggers and giving just a few stray thoughts to another girl that permeated his thoughts. "That bastard..." he said, though his tone was easy to mistake for an affectionate reminiscing rather than such a harsh remark, as it passed through a thoughtful smirk. The girl was another that he had become fond of, her tomboy passions coexisting with her grace and beauty always keeping him nearby for their next fight or contest. Their fierce rivalry had become something he cherished. Now that he had the Ryuugan, he intensely wanted to fight with her even in her soldier form, not because he wanted to harm her or humiliate her like before, when his mind had been fractured and his heart wayward, but rather to just compete with her – to spend time with her, whom he called friend. _Haruka, _he thought past his curse for her,_ I'm gonna settle this thing between us when I return. _The thought made him chuckle gleefully, for he enjoyed few things more pleasurable than fighting such a capable person.

Even as the memories came fresh of his first encounter with such that person, the presence of others in the bright area of the street he had just surveyed caught Kage's instant attention, causing him to wrench his head around once more and cast his Ryuugan on five figures that had not been there a moment before, nor did they allude to their presence until the instant before they spoke. "I noticed that you have a very unique style of fighting," called a voice that was so cool that it caused a shiver of warning to surge through Kage's entire body, causing his muscles to tense up and his fists to close once more.

They made an impressive formation, especially considering the glowering sun setting bright shoulders upon them and almost blending the wisps of their auras together into one grand display. Their figures were no less impressive than their powerful auras, which Kage had the benefit of seeing through his heretic eyes. However, these were far different than what he had become accustomed to, and they seemed somehow hidden as if trying to hide from him. They were wild, vague creatures that only promoted presences and offered no illumination. Even with the sun beating down on them, Kage was able to distinguish three males and two females, each with interesting characteristics of standing and moving that went ignored by the ignorant. At once, Kage realized he was relying solely on his innate human ability to judge someone by their appearance, and not by the view the Ryuugan was offering. That alone sent warnings through his bones and he paid them all due attention, not once wavering enough to allow advantage.

Once more, the figure that all others seemed to mass around spoke, his voice coiled with interest at this cornered creature. "I'm sure this will sound very strange to you, but I'd like you to come with me as my guest. Rest assured, no harm will come to you," the man said, though the last part of his sentence came out as viciously cool as the intent was, "if you accept my offer."

Kage had a good idea what refusal would entail but he was never one to refrain from testing his limits and the limits of patience of everyone around him. The proposal was abrupt and almost ridiculous, for who went around inviting pure strangers to associate? It was all moving up the wrong road and Kage was justifiably hesitant to accept to such an idea. The fact that he had been looking in that direction only moments before they appeared and his Ryuugan still didn't detect them before his natural instincts had did cause a great wave of caution to come over him, but nothing was able to cut through his defiant attitude. After all, Kage was still Kage. "Only in town ten minutes and already I get the silk and satin crew crawling all over me?" he replied, calmly turning to face the group with all of the certainty that his hidden vision granted him. Only when he looked at the group fully did he truly appreciate what he saw. Although the lead man was more impressive than he initially thought, though the other four figures standing in subordination were no simple things to be taken for granted. No, these five individuals were, as best as his Ryuugan saw it, very capable and lethal; a fool's wake in the lapse of judgment.

The lead man stirred with interest, taking a minute step forward to separate from the others, all the while his eyes resting lustfully on the young man standing among the fallen adversaries. It was onto business, for he obviously showed little patience in things that did not present potential. "Oh? Then you are not from around here," said the man, his response brimming with tone.

Kage laughed in such a manner that even the leader stirred slightly, awed by just how enticing the reason behind such a laugh was. Not from around here? He wasn't even from the same dimension. True, it could be said that he was indeed from Japan, born in a small town east of Tokyo, but that was an entirely different Earth – an entirely different Universe. His Earth was gone. His Earth had been taken from him. So great was the humor that Kage wallowed in it, laughing bitterly for quite a few moments, then decided to bury it once more and strained his face with the size of his smile. "Fella, you really have no idea," Kage said slickly and inwardly mused to himself once more about the truth of matter. The figures were obviously intrigued by such a reaction, but he could also tell the encounter was running thin and that the honor of being their object of interest was quickly dwindling away. That thought made his mind fill with an entire chorus of snide remarks. However, against five figures dressed in such expensive clothing, and reeking of the aura that they did, Kage was more than cordial in keeping his petulant tongue meekly in his mouth and pursued his own business. "Tell you what, you tell me the place where I can find a certain person and I'll paint the town red with you. If not, well..." he said, but idly shifted his sunglasses over his eyes and pulled at his gloves to let the last remark linger in the air, to set the rules of the game for these five finely-set figures.

The leader was able to chuckle softly, obviously relieving some tension that had built up between the two parties. Pushing back some long, flawless strands of straight black hair, the image of Kage simply radiated in his black eyes as a wickedly cool smile parted words and accepted the brute mannerisms of this foreigner. "My dear boy, please step into my car. I shall tell you anything you like."

* * *

When riding in such close quarters, anyone would have felt the apprehension that Kage was feeling in the plush confines of the limousine of the five mysterious figures. After all, Kage's fighting prowess was almost negated by the location, and even the most weakly of men were at the gates of heaven with the power of a simple handgun. Still, he took comfort in the fact that none of these figures seemed to carry such weapons, though that fact was only obvious by their individual fighting aura - a bleeding glow of power that Kage had hardly witnessed before. Certainly people like this never needed to stoop to the level of simple kinetic principle.

"What's your name, handsome?" said one of the figures, though the low light and proximity denied Kage the knowledge of who had said it. However, judging by the tone and inflection, he was certain that it was not one of the two female figures included in the group.

That was of little consequence to him. "Yamamori Kage," he replied stiffly, looming much like a statue from his secluded end of the car, his legs kicked out lazily in front of him and his hands knit in his lap in the most casual manner. The other five figures sat comfortably at his opposite, perched on a U-shaped seat that filled the front end of the main cabin. Kage had been idly surprised at the level of opulence present with the figures, for he had never been in such a nice car. Everything in the car shined, from the wood engraved with gold to the soft leather seat he was sitting in. In everything he saw, his own reflection gazing back at him with a clean and odorless shine that marveled one who had spent the better part of four years in rubble, debris and death. It was soft, warm and even the air itself seemed to make his skin feel cleaner, as if the car was attempting to alter a foreign body to its clean, pristine innards. His nose was delighted with the smell of leather, freshly cleaned upholstery and some foreign liquor that he had never seen before. _Hell,_ he mused to himself, _if I knew I could pull it, I'd probably lift this car for a couple of hours and live the good life for the night. Suteki would give his blonde mop to ride in a car like this._

His name fell across a sudden hush among the five, with one figure stirring more awkwardly than the others. Obviously, the Japanese name was a point of interest for them all and the silence lingered in the car for a long time, leaving Kage eye them and wonder why exactly they found that so fascinating. Then, the silence was broken by the same voice, this time partnered with one of the fingers leaning forward to place a delicate chin across long, slender fingers. "My my, what a beautiful, strong name. Tell me, Kage, where is that you call home?"

Kage's eyes were looking over this man, those mystic Ryuugan eyes taking in every fact about the man as best they could. Kage was still getting used to the Ryuugan, but even now he was unsettled by the fact that he could not see much about these five figures, even the greater displacement of their power or weaknesses existent in everyone. But the man's question had pried his mind away from the analysis and his thoughts tiptoed over the image of her once more. For a moment, pulling at his heart and making him long to return to Tokyo, he remember that he did have a home now.

In an instant, he had seen another of the figures shift abruptly and it caused his mind to focus once more, as if he could read that person's intentions without even knowing why they had moved. It was more an instinct to him, rather than something the Ryuugan showed him. For some reason or another, his instincts told him not to tread carelessly in step or in thought, so Kage forced that image to the back of his mind once more and laid more casually into the leather seat, letting out a singularly pleasant groan and chuckle. "Ain't had one of them for a long time. But the most recent place I was staying was Tokyo, actually," he replied, almost knowing how they would react. And indeed, they reacted in the exact way he had predicted.

They all began to stir a bit, leading Kage to confirm his suspicions and rationalize his reasoning in actually telling them where he was from. This whole encounter stunk, making him weary of offering any kind of truth to the things he said or did, but also he felt that there were shadows behind the sunlight, and he was someone who thrived far better in the shadows. More and more, he was becoming aware that these five figures were not just common dukes and earls, but rather something far more devious in design. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if they weren't human at all.

The same figure smiled and responded in a delicate tone, "I see. So you must know first-hand of all of the incredible things that have happened there recently? Perhaps you have even seen one of these alleged soldiers that defend the city time and time again?"

"It's a big city," he replied, smiling a bit too coolly for the five and denying them a glimpse of the eyes that were hiding the truth behind their questions. Only their own reflections looked back, as Kage's dark sunglasses were endlessly devoted to keeping the secrets of the Ryuugan from those who might be treacherous or devious.

The man laughed softly, though his candor offered no relief, and he seemed to act with the will of the others in his words. "Yes, so I've heard! I've also heard anything is possible there, so we could be speaking to one of these soldiers even now, right? I mean, you certainly have the..." the man began but lingered a moment, his lips widening in a lustful smile as his tongue played with the last part of his statement lusciously, "form for it."

Kage laughed. He sincerely laughed at such a thought and the five were instantly put on guard again, for Kage's laughing came at the most unusual times and the tones bouncing across his weary throat were unlike any they had heard before. It was the kind of laugh that shuddered through a person's body and only amused them only as far as reminding them how pathetic the truth was, that the reason for their amusement was their own failings. To be compared with Serenity's soldiers was ridiculous, and Kage's own inadequacies made the very suggestion quite funny to him. For the others, it was fascinating. It was mesmerizing to hear him laugh, if only because it was never out of joy. But the deep, throaty chuckles came out so pathetically in the face of the truth that there was not one person in that car that escaped the hypnotic drone of his laugh. "If there's one thing I could tell you about those soldiers, it's that all of the things that make them powerful and great..." he said through his chuckles, his head cocked at an odd angle to accent his pathetic grin, "well, I ain't got none of it. You're on the wrong part of the mountain to see cheery blossoms."

"I see," replied the man and sat back, looking to the others with a strange and fascinating look. This boy was far more interesting than they had initially thought. His very presence was that of someone a thousand years old, as if someone or something had come along and altered his destiny with the slight motion of the hand or the incoherent whisper. They had seen a boy tap casually on the heads of the ignorant, yet quell some incredible power inside completely. That was something to make note of. It was also true that the things they had heard of these righteous soldiers in the city of Tokyo set them apart from this poor boy, set higher than he cared to set himself. That alone placed him in the narrow bracket of interest, into a realm where his gifts and conscious acknowledgement of his substandard standing was the pathway into the brazen new front they were bringing - bringing it right to those he had just separated himself from.

"The man you are looking for," said the leader, moving the conversation into the flow that would soothe the beast before them all, "what is his name?"

Kage was silent a moment, wondering just how far this was going to go. His eyes shifted from one figure to the other, desperately trying to unravel the mysteries of these figures and their interest in him. Even without his Ryuugan, which had been prone to lending him mere glimpses of the future from time to time, he predicted that should he proceed further, his would undoubtedly be either joining these figures in whatever their purpose was, or he would be fighting them. Because he already owed himself to another, and because he saw dark and dismal intent in these five creatures, Kage assumed the latter. Despite something telling him to be weary and silent, it was in his nature to charge headlong into the storm and that small voice was muffled by his confident pronunciation of the name and Kage's undying will to battle for prestige. "Liu Kuan Yin," he said, though in all honesty, he was not at all confident in the name. He was Japanese, and speaking Chinese names or reading Chinese made him feel slightly put off. In the back of his mind, he questioned why he had to step down in order accommodate this pursuit, for Kage unconsciously was a bit prejudiced against anyone not Japanese. Still he went through with it because he had to, not because he wanted to.

However, he seemed to have pronounced the name correctly seeing the five stir so wonderfully as they did, he rose his brows and looked upon with new interest, as if his decision had been justified and his path laid out clearly. They obviously were familiar with the name, though none would say it in so many words. This person was far more authentic now, knowing that creatures of such presence were aware of him, and Kage was much more confident in the desire to find him; confident in the idea he was on the right track to finding the man who could help him discover the seemingly insane purpose behind bestowing the mystic eyes of the dragon on a soiled, broken young boy with hate and revenge as his only forces to be.

The others were now audibly whispering to each other, save for the leader, who leaned back deeply into his seat, his hands knit in front of him and those dangerous black eyes staring. It was beautiful. It was as if the stars themselves were aligning to bring about the fall of that righteous nobility that was growing from a seed on this ball of dirt. The gods had seemingly dropped the perfect tool for weeding out the threat that was looming across the galaxy like a great open hand. _This young human may be exactly what we need to proceed. It cannot be chance that he is looking for the keeper of the Dracos Speculum,_ thought the dark figure, his hands trembling at the very thought of that power. _With that power, I can bring down even the will of the cosmos and regain what has been wrongfully taken from me._ That thought aroused him. He smiled widely through thin lips and eager tones beckoning the boy to listen. "I shall do better than simply telling you of that man," said he, silencing the subordinates around him and setting Kage's instincts flaring again. "My dear boy, I will take you to him."

Although Kage felt innately weary of the look on his face, he just leaned back deeper into his seat and smiled a glowing smile that dominated the dimly lit end of the cabin. The leader was obviously plotting some manipulation for him. That was fine. He saw that as plainly as he saw the lenses of his sunglasses not two centimeters from his eyes. As long as he saw it coming, there was no reason to despair the devious, dissolute smile the leader was offering back.

This young man was something else entirely – something not easily maneuvered or manipulated. Many before had learned this, with many more to come. Kage was not a simple tool be handled. Kage was a feral creature that struck as quickly as the wind – a dragon not kept by the careless hand, or the eager eye. Only one had tamed him.

And she had only done so soaked in blood, sweat and tears.


	3. Falling In with the Same Old Crowd

**Chapter Three – Falling In with the Same Old Crowd**

The car had stopped. Any and all awe Kage had felt for the plush accommodations of the car were instantly dashed to pieces as he took in the impressively decrepit old temple he stood in front of, almost demanding a lopsided smirk to cross his face. It was nothing but a worn sanctuary, with barely visible architecture and reminiscent callings of a once prominent building, now laying in ruin from centuries of neglect. It was a wonder that the main building was even intact, with a roof to cover it and walls that vainly fought to stay standing. The plant life had overrun the walls and structures, making it look more like a lewd garden rather than a shrine, and the very thought of stepping out of such luxury into the decrepit old place made Kage snort a snide remark. "What a shit hole," he said purely for their benefit. While the subordinates seemed severely offended by the chide remark, the leader simply stepped out next to Kage and locked his shoulders back, chuckling in his cool manner.

"My dear boy, it is not what you see that is important, but rather what you do not see," he replied, waving his hand through the air like some kind of mystic.

When the massive stone doors began to part, Kage's eyes shifted back to the temple and widened behind his dark glasses, for he hadn't expected to see what lay beyond the crumbling exterior of the ancient temple. Past the dull brown and gray stones of ancient construction was something entirely different; a beautiful hall of implicitly clean metal lay inside, a great reflective belly of an otherwise listless beast. Every cut and corner of the hallway, and even the floors and ceilings, were planes of flawless metal, casting a maddening display of reflections into this vortex of dimension. Truly, if one were to stare into the room from too long, it was likely their mind would fall useless into the endless planes of reflections and he predicted it would be entirely too easy become disoriented among the endlessly progressing doppelgangers cast from one surface to another. Kage was careful not to let his eyes linger in one spot.

As the others entered before them, Kage stayed a moment to dwell upon the words that had been spoken, for the man had not parted with them lightly and Kage felt that could have some greater meaning. Unfortunately, Kage was never one to use his head for anything but breaking an opponent's nose, so he gingerly shrugged it off and started into the hallway, idly admiring the endless reflections of himself as he did, each one seeming to stare away into the countless others, as if trying to seek guidance from yet another ponderous source. As he followed, the amusing thought ran through his mind that before, when he was torn within himself as to his fate and his power had spun out of control while tethered to his mind, he had felt divided within himself. That feeling paled in comparison.

Kage had come to a stop in the middle of the hall and glanced about with no small sense of awe at just how impressive a thousand reflective surfaces swallowed you and made you feel almost aloft. It became no less impressive with every passing moment, and there was a sneaking suspicion growing in his mind that his intuition about these figures was indeed correct. The construction and design of the bowels of the temple were not by any terrestrial means, for the metal itself seemed to flow about the room and fuse with itself, rather than simply come to an end where the next plane began, almost like some great tranquil lake that surrounded him at all sides. This was, indeed, like the belly of some great beast – organized and laid out in methods known by no mere human.

While he had been distracted, the five figures took places opposite him in the grand hall and the doors came to a shuddering stop as they closed. Now some unknown source of light was keeping the hall illuminated by means of the panes and threw impressive shadows across the figures, drawing Kage's attention to them. The first to speak was one of the subordinates, and she stepped timidly and nervously wrung her hands together, her head partly shrouded by a massive hood that was attached to the coat the covered her. She was obviously someone very shy the prying eyes of others, but she did not appear too out of place in terms of dress. Kage had noticed earlier that she seemed a step apart from the others, as if she really was not the same creature. When she spoke, her words came in meek, shuddering tones that strained Kage's ears to fully grasp them, something that further annoyed him. "We are instructed to introduce ourselves. Forgive the imposition. M-My name is Yau Jui Lin. I am…"

"Cut the bullshit," Kage interrupted harshly and adjusted his bag over his shoulder. It was an abrupt outburst and the woman that had been speaking was obviously very timid indeed, for it caused her to wince and step back, as if she feared more than she breathed. It only further raised his suspicions about her.

However, despite how the woman reacted, one of the others, a larger, more brutal looking man, stepped forward in a tirade of anger and could barely contain his fury. "What did you say!" he snarled viciously. He was a colossus of a man, huge in stature and big in presence. Kage had noted him also, for he eyed him so viciously in the car that Kage had almost reached over and slapped him. However, now it seemed that the man was stepping out to stand at issue with whatever he thought off about Kage. The only thing that held him back was a glance from the leader, but he was almost too livid to heed it. His fists were aching with how tightly they had become and an unknown, feral part of him was pushing against his limits, threatening to break out and consume his disciplined rank.

Kage just kicked his weight to the side and joined his endless reflections in casting a cool candor upon them all. He had a knack for being frank. "I already forget dopeshit names two seconds after I hear them, so throwing around some fake names you use to get around will only prove your forgetability. Huh, I wonder if that's even a word," he continued, cocking his head to the side to ponder the weaknesses of his vocabulary. This only proved to infuriate the colossus even more but once the leader stepped forward, he was quelled enough to step back and seethe inwardly about this arrogant human. Kage just resumed his threadbare interest in their names and waved his free hand about his face, as if waving away some foul smell, as he continued, "If you're not going to tell me who you really are, then how can I believe that you really know where this guy is?"

The leader was beside himself in delight. This human was very amusing and even made him laugh, two very good reasons why he didn't simply arrest the boy under a pile of death and bones. Pushing back some of his long black hair, he simply gleamed with interest over the boy and his smile showed it. This Kage had truly piqued his interest. "You are a bizarre and interesting young man, Yamamori Kage. I am confident in my judgment that you are not afraid of monsters," he replied.

Kage grinned wickedly. "After the shit I've been through, fella, there ain't nothing that scares me," he quipped and let his memories roam back to his jaded past.

Most men fear those things that cause harm, the terrible creatures that saunter in shadows and reach out with claws or fangs. A quivering hand was only as fearful as the eyes that bore it, yet Kage had lived terrors beyond the imagination of normal humans; he lived the nightmare of being a monster himself – a monster of personal creation and self-propulsion. Fear had no definition when the source of all your sin could lay no further than your own outstretched hand.

Seeing a monster staring back at him upon every puddle or fear-streaked eye of the innocent had tempered him to a point where no claw or fang could ever again cause fear to shake him. He had been more of a monster than any in lore.

Still, Kage's eyes did react when the aura around the leader began to morph, to change into a completely different creature. Although outwardly the figure altered very slightly, his clothes becoming a bizarre form of dulled metallic material and his skin taking on a definite pastel tone, what intrigued Kage was a form of energy he had never seen before, through Ryuugan or no. His hair, which had once been long and black, with a silkiness that defied conventional belief, now soaked through in a deep crimson hue, as if it had been dipped in the richest blood. It somehow retained all of its silkiness. The man's eyes also changed, becoming more vicious and reflecting the light in tones of orange. In every aspect, this figure became more and more then personification of some terrible demon that had pierced the centuries by cast and tome, lingering at the back of men's minds and at the tip of men's trembling spears. Yet, this creature was not simply frightening; he was radiating a sense of nobility and pride that Kage rarely saw in the ranks of his fellow man, and instantly he was aware that this creature was no random monster or cretin, but rather an intimidating foe worthy of his weary complexion. In a transition that seemed to last only a moment, the leader had changed from a compelling human to something not at all from this world - a creature of nobility, determination and impressive power. His foil-like robes resonated in tones that almost seemed too melodic to be natural and he seemed to move even as he stood still, if only due to his completely altered aura that now almost burned Kage's eyes. Long, dignified fingers curled at the outset of his power and the leader seemed instantly more at ease in his true form, though perhaps only because Kage's smug expression had dulled slightly at the truth of him, as if it appeased his desires to be feared.

Still carrying that cool air, he settled nicely into his natural robes and glared at Kage through his alien eyes, delighted even more that the human did not even react to the sudden change of creature before him. "Perhaps you will remember this then. I am Oberon, High Baron of Alloria and rightful Supreme Commander of the Imperial forces of Avalon," he said with an air of royalty that echoed in the hall for many moments after his voice fell away. He was indeed impressive, for not only did he glow with the presence he put on, but his aura was also visible even to someone not bestowed with the Ryuugan. Kage, having such a gift, was awed by the image around Oberon; a great winged serpent coiled around him and radiating a pulse of energy that caused Kage's brow to sweat. He had never felt a power like this and even found a moment to compare it with the pulses of energy he felt coming from Yamito, though he could instantly tell they were different. It was the sheer maginitude of the power that caused him to worry, worry that this was going to present a problem far into the future. Oberon was a shiver that ran through Kage's body, defiling his strict sense of fearlessness and making even most resolute fighter hesitate to lift fists.

By that point, each of the others had stepped up as well, shedding their human masks and revealing their true nature as beings unknown to Earth. Whether it was the platinum hair or the violet eyes, they each portrayed characteristics unlike any human, yet all retained a semblance of the beast. And all of them were impressive in power, though none seemed to rival that of the cool lethality of their leader. However, he was quick to notice that this observation fell short by one – the timid woman barely appeared any different than before, yet her aura remained equally as elusive. Kage had the feeling that this was not a good thing. With an entire chorus of power and potential brimming before him, he had hardly one moment to focus on any one figure, save Oberon and his furious power, but it would not slip by him that this woman was a different shade, a different hue from the others. It was also troubling that she had been the figure that had stirred in the car and sent Kage on his guard.

"You react very smoothly. Perhaps you have witnessed such things before?" Oberon asked lightly and brushed back the scarlet hair from his inhumane face, those blazing orange eyes locked on the human with a greed that caused Kage's inward musings to cease and his mind to come to terms with his situation. He had been greatly appeased by the boy's change in demeanor when he revealed himself, and thus felt more inclined to pursue this matter further. Seeing the boy through his unaltered eyes only stirred more interest in him and he was almost giddy with joy at this new opportunity that had presented itself.

However, outwardly, Kage just regained his smirk, shrugging expressively with his free hand and shaking his head to the rhythm of his pathetic life. "Like you said, some amazing things happen in Tokyo. You didn't want me to tremble in fear, did you?" he asked.

Once more the others reacted to his brash mannerisms but Oberon just gleaned, tilting his head back slightly to show his fanged grin. Any human that could stand in his pure presence without shaving one sweat demanded his attention. This boy had the potential to be everything he wanted. The thought of that made a shiver of covetousness to jingle his metallic robes.

As if beckoned by some unseen master, the hall suddenly became crawling with creatures resembling something out of those comic books Suteki had liked reading before the war that shattered their world. They were genderless beasts, each having a mask that covered their faces but had no other defining characteristics, save the long hanging arms and the hunkering postures that barely made them recognizable as humanoid. Their skin, if one were to call it that, slightly resembled the fabric of burlap, though it was of a dull brown, metallic material that proved them as part of this realm. Like drones in some great hive, they doubled their numbers in every moment, first moving like feral beasts before then standing upright and sauntering forward like some nameless point in an unbroken line. They lumbered and swayed like hunkering animals but came to a halt around Kage, each seemingly mindless until given the decision to move. With a sea of brilliant masks, some smiling, some screaming and some distorted in pain, this great army of the hive swarmed and stayed in one great circle around Kage – this one invading wasp to their home.

Kage had instantly gone on guard when they had moved in, but little showed it on the outside. They seemed to come right out of the corners of the walls and surfaces where two reflective fields met, thus making their entrance without sound and source. Also, and it was very apparent to him as he tried to count the number of opponents, that the countless reflective panes denied any measure of assurance as the difference of real and reflection, for each drone seemed to have a thousand other partners moving along with him, yet none seemed at all like the adjacent neighbor. The beautiful infinity of the hall had once awed him, but now only lingered as a hindrance to his new situation. Three distinct mask designs were discernable and a corresponding glow around them respective to each design, telling him they all probably had different purposes and abilities. All while taking in as much information as possible about the drones, he let his smile stay loose across his lips and shook his once more, this time in the thoughts of how predictable life had become. He knew that Oberon was interested in him, but giving him a pop quiz in the subject of hard knocks? It was fine. Kage was good at that kind of test. "Well, at least I had a warm-up first," he said coolly and lifted the bag string from his shoulder, letting it slip from his hand and the bag fell to the floor. As it was falling to the floor, Kage's stance was slipping wider and his weight shifting in anticipation of the assault. When it came to fighting, his instinct rarely failed.

Oberon still marveled how the human reacted to the most extreme circumstances and even chuckled lightly, watching the bag fall from his hand and hit its reflection in the floor.

Instantly, a wave of creatures flooded the floor towards Kage and proceeded to swarm like that great hive it had become. Each moved like a feral beast, yet somehow they all moved in a great fluid motion like a sea of talons, all bearing down on the casually smirking Kage. The first creature to attack did so lightly, simply diving forward to cause some great physical harm to the human, yet it was also the first creature to feel the strike and was sent tumbling back into the ranks of the others with a single, beautiful kick. The sprawling beast disrupted the swarm long enough for the five figures to glimpse Kage fully, his striking foot setting gracefully back to the ground after the kick and the look of utter pleasure on his face. It was a moment that seemed to last forever, if only because it revealed Kage's true nature and his pure, unaltered beauty. Each marveled, then promptly watched another creature dive in and meet the same fate. This time, however, many others tried an attack in succession of each failure, making the scene almost comical as creatures flew here and there like wayward leaves blowing in an autumn breeze.

In the middle was a perfectly balanced form sending fanning kicks in all directions to repel these creatures. Kage's form had indeed returned to its full grace, finding its way back from the dark and dismal destiny of neglect that had almost robbed him of his prized Ryushuuken style. Yet now, with each lunging creature, Kage's footwork looked almost artificial, each step placing his feet and body into perfect succession with the next move, his feet slicing through the air with high pitched whistles and howling drones to meet each attacking creature and send them spiraling away once more. His whole body became the machine, his torso bending and twisting to place his next kick, his arms providing counterweights to his spinning and his hands planting to the ground as he moved around in his safety area, his form taking an almost liquid appearance as he twirled and spun like a flowing tornado of flying feet. Wave after wave of creatures lunged in at him and wave after wave were thrown aside. Not one struck a blow to him, no matter how hard they tried.

After several dozen had tried their deed, one of the five figures would no longer let his anger be subdued. Hearing this dirty human speak out of status was one thing, but to let it put on this bawdy show was more than he would stand for. Without waiting for approval, the colossus stepped forward, throwing a wild hand through the air and howling out in a disturbed rage that shook the very room itself. "Enough exhibition! Remove this piece of garbage from Commander Oberon's sight!" he yelled.

A new wave of sounds moved through the creatures and a new wave moved in, in numbers doubled to ensure a kill of this elusive fighter. Moreover, each mask began to glow a different color respective to the design, proving Kage's theory of the purpose for the differences. One set of creature's hands became long, blade-like claws the reflected the light as brightly as any of the mirroring surfaces of the room. Yet another set presented a set of powerful metallic tentacles bursting from a place at the wrist, whipping and slashing around to snare and sever any careless limb. The last set of creatures grew large bulbs on the backs of their shoulders; bulbs that soon disconnected from their bodies and swung forth connected to heavy chains like massive hammers to crush and smash their victim. All of these creatures now set forth to mince, strangle and squash the insolent human, and that pleased the figure that had sentenced Kage to a horrific death. Even Oberon held back his indignation at being disobeyed to see just how powerful this human was, faced with an overwhelming force of superior enemies, though he seemed poised to spare this human at a moment's notice, for he greatly feared the meaningless waste of such potential.

Despite how feverishly the creatures were bearing down on him, Kage simply grinned all the more delightfully and slowly raised his arms up in a tilted cross over his chest, his hands fanned out and waiting like a carnivorous trap to devour unsuspecting victims. Even as the creatures pounced and came down to their final intended target, all Kage offered in terms of expression was that calm, cool grin. It was a joy to be able to try his newly acquired technique in such a worthy arena.

All spectators were silenced as a flash of light surged from the center of the attacking creatures, then a shower of writhing enemies burst suddenly all over the room like a grand firework exploding, with shrieking bodies denting and twisting the reflective surfaces of the mirrors instead of breaking them. Every creature that had lunged was now raining down around them, and the five figures had just enough time to see the human coming to a stop from a spinning point inside the center of the dome of the expelled beasts, his arms held up in different positions in front of him with his fingers clenched like blades. At that last moment, a small sparkle of light was just fading from the tips of his fingers and dulling to a natural skin tone once more. Looking down from above, a spiraling pattern was scorched into the flooring expanding away from Kage like a blooming flower and slowly fading as it reached the very closest of the now incapacitated creatures. Each of the figures took a moment to marvel at the sight they did not see and at the array of creatures now forming a boundary of fallen enemies around the human rapidly becoming more and more interesting to Oberon.

Instantly, the figure that had ordered the attack had turned to Oberon, bowing deeply and offering deep apologies in deep, fearful tones. "Forgive me, Commander. This human is too lowly to be in your presence. Please allow me to..." he began but a beckoning whistle from the center of the room caught his attention and drew furious eyes upon that insolent young human.

"Hey, kiss-ass, over here," Kage cooed and twisted his wrists so that the backs of his hands faced them, then he curled the fingers tauntingly. Seeing the reaction on the creature's face, he grinned that much more and continued his sweet talk. "I just love a big talker. They always cry the loudest when I sink a boot in their ass. Seems they got good pipes for it," he said though a wry grin.

The figure faced him gruffly and pounded a hand across his chest, sending a metallic pang through the room from his resonating breastplate. Kage was able to get a very good look at him and made sure to employ his attention to detail to its fullest. Getting a good look at this colossus was of utmost importance, for he was on a perilous course of taunting the monster and it would invariably lead to a confrontation. However, from what he saw of the beast, Kage was not too concerned.

A rippling form of muscle and strength was somehow packed into an impressive display of armor, armor that seemed to actually be a part of his body, like great metal scales that had grown right from his skin. The colossus had no hair, but rather a scaly covering of metal plates as well. Even the creature's eyes seemed metallic, making this one the most intensely rooted in the metallic theme out of the five. It was obvious by the armor and brandishing of it that he was a decorated creature, obviously of some importance that he could command the legion of creatures as he did, and also held an air of command about him that slightly annoyed Kage. Once, at long time ago in a passing story told to him on his own Earth, it was revealed Kage had once been a prince and of royal blood. However, he did not hold himself is such high regard as this colossus did. That irked him. Vanity of birthright beyond action annoyed his industrious heart.

Furthermore, the intense fighting aura around the creature did send a shiver of foreboding through Kage, because his aura was now like Oberon's, scorching to his Ryuugan. The colossus was very intimidating. There was very little to judge weaknesses and strengths by, aside from Kage's innate ability to do so, for his Ryuugan had yet to break this elusive code that had been obscuring his abilities. This blinding aura that surrounded most of them made it difficult to see anything in detail, so fighting one them seemed like a very troublesome business and, despite how efficiently he was provoking them, it would be a troublesome matter to fight them. Regardless of that fact, Kage still desired that battle, if only to truly test his newly proscribed powers.

As much as Kage's mind had been wandering and focusing, the bellowing voice accompanying the pang of metal plates ripped him back to reality and he smirked widely at the creature's banter. The colossus once more banged a massive fist over his breastplate to further gather the attention of his puny villain and howled out in all of the passions of his station. "Human scum! I am General Flute of the Imperial Grand Army! No single creature has ever put a dent in my armor or broken my flesh! A piece of raw sewage like you isn't even worth..."

Once more, the figure was interrupted, though not by any spoken words. There was nothing more than a slight flash of light, and it felt like nothing more than gust of wind had brushed against his face, but soon Flute was silent in surprise when he felt the warm drizzle of his own blood creeping down his cheek, making its way silently across a shocked face in careless, meandering directions. Oberon and the others were staring also, for all they had seen was the human lower his arms through the air abruptly, casually slashing them like invisible blades and setting his stance once more to the casual state. Yet, a single drop of mercury-like blood rolled down Flute's cheek and drew his brows down into absolute fury. Yet, he did not move. Oberon had already raised a hand to stop him and watched the human with eyes alight with interest, simply giddy with the find he had made.

Kage watched Flute reigned by Oberon's mere gesture and grinned, shrugging his hands through the air in an exaggerated gesture meant only to infuriate him more. "Imagine that, all talk. You got a low opinion of humans, General Kiss-ass. Anytime you want, snap the leash around your neck and I'll adjust that smug attitude of yours," he quipped viciously through a grin.

Although Flute was entirely beside himself in rage, he made no more daring pushes against Oberon's patience, even though every fiber of his being cried out to crush the mouthy human so impetuously taunting him. His previous boast was only true to a point, for even his infallible armor was simply no match for the sheer might of Oberon's rule. If this human became too wild, Flute cooled down knowing that he would soon witness Oberon's power first-hand.

Oberon idly began to clap his hands together, surveying the scene of his creatures tossed about so effortlessly by this human. He was curious indeed to know how he did it, since not even he could see exactly what had happened in the center of that circle of swarming foes. The mystery only fueled his desires for the human. Simply, his eyes just glowed with interest as he looked down at Kage. "Marvelous. You are a rare find indeed, my dear boy. Forgive my subordinates and their creatures. You understand that we simply wanted to assess your abilities further, yes?" he coaxed.

Kage was idly crouching and picking up his bag, slinging it back over his shoulder as he adjusted the glasses on his head and replied, "I ain't your new puppy and I don't do tricks. You gonna take me to this guy or am I gonna walk outta here?"

Kage obviously had little patience, but Oberon was not willing to play his hand yet. In contrast, he was very patient and willing to wait just a bit longer to find the Dracos Speculum. Information was the key to his entire operation here. It was the reason he was still positioned so far away from his intended target and the reasons he had been so immaculate in his planning and actions. Only when he was sure of his victory over the guardians of this world would he move, and the information he required was right at the tips of his fingers. That thought made Oberon curl his fingers in anticipation and gesture to a newly opening door, leading into a hallway that moved off into the lair. "Please, will you not stay for dinner? We can discuss our mutual interests then," he suggested. However, Kage seemed to snort in disinterest and pivot on his heels, heading back towards the entrance that was now sealed up. Obviously, this boy was not like the others Oberon was associating with, for his brows dropped in frustration and a timid rumble pulsed through the entire structure. The other four figures stepped away slowly from him, as if anticipating some great event, yet Oberon regained his composure and considered an alternate way to seduce this wily human. He was shrewd, if not persistent. "You must have spent quite some time searching for this man. There must be a very important reason you are seeking the Keeper of the Dragons," he said and waited for the reaction that would bring this human closer to his flock.

Hearing something that tweaked his ears, Kage stopped, lingering a moment to consider the fact that Oberon seemed to know exactly what to say to interest him. A great rift had formed inside of him, for his instincts warned him of great peril in staying too long, not only to him but the ones he had grown to care for, but his mind and soul were demanding that he face that peril and the fear it instilled in him in order to better serve the very images that he feared to lose. The fact that he fought so stubbornly against that fear out of sheer ignorance to its purpose was a pity all in its own. If he was going to find Lui Kuan Yin, then his instincts told him that this was the place to do it and that sparring with the bony clutches of the reaper may be a small price to pay for his continued sanity and potential bliss. Knowing that the man was the fabled Keeper of the Dragons intrigued Kage enough to humor Oberon further, though he was keenly aware that something else entirely was going on in this place. He had no basis for comparison when it came to the amount of alien creatures living on Earth, though if the stories about Tokyo that he had been told were true, then it was not so far-fetched to assume that others parts of the world were also used by the inhuman. Still, they had seemed very interested in the fact that he was from Tokyo and, judging by these creature's auras and characters, he assumed that whatever their interest was, it was not going to be beneficial to those war-weary soldiers of Serenity. If he could save the girl of his attention some suffering by kicking this problem in the bud, then maybe he could be just a little bit closer to her - to earning his place beside her; even if that meant he might lose any chance of every going back to her arms while his heart still beat for her.

With that thought in mind, Kage lowered his bag to his feet with a thump and resigned himself to pursuing this course a little bit longer. It seemed he would endanger his future once more, though this time in the hope that such a future would be brighter, not darker, due to his efforts. Twisting slightly, he caught the brooding figure in his dark glasses and flashed a smug grin.

"Alright, what're we eating?"


	4. Kage Comes to Dinner

**Chapter Four – Kage Comes to Dinner**

"What's your purpose here, Obi?"

At one point in his life, Kage had what was generally considered a very tactful mannerism about him, a set of rules imposed upon him by the society in which he lived in and, more important, demanded of him by the monks of the temple that had taken him and his sister in. The young boy was looked upon highly for his behavior, whether it be a courteous bow or a held tongue in moments of sheer aggravation. All who beheld him revered his great progress in the martial arts, but also the fact that he embraced the older customs and traditions of Japan's history as was prominent in the monastery's code. It was where he picked up his usage of older words, making him sound like an older man sometimes. The monks were gleaming with pride at all instances, for Kage was once on a path to becoming an enlightened soul.

Slouched back in his chair slightly, Kage now patently pecked through the bowl of rice he was given with his fingers, searching for some random item such as an eyeball or infant newt or whatever else it was that aliens ate. This uncouth young man had come completely around from that image of himself, now paying nearly no one an inch of respect, save they earned the only way possible with him – by their fist. Whatever perverse power that ruled existence had taken from him the only thing he cared for, so he repaid as best as he could by snubbing the rules and expectations of him. It also slandered his speech, piercing his once dignified way of talking with a more vulgar tone that came out almost comically when an older word or phrase would jump out here and there. The meshing of these two souls now constituted Kage's existence, and it always left those around him trying to understand what possibly was going through his mind.

After finding that the rice was seemingly safe to eat, he slung his bag into the table with a crash, knocking over quite a number of dishes and foodstuffs, but paying it little mind as he attacked the rice with his pair of chopsticks. Since they had positioned the food only near him, he guessed they didn't eat human food all that often. All of it looked civil enough, though he was starting to tire of this Chinese cuisine. He wanted a nice charred mackerel on a stick, maybe some miso to flavor it. Yes, he missed Japan greatly, but he had lived through worse. He had lived through Suteki's cooking.

Oberon had leaned heavily into his chair and weighed the insolence of this boy to the usefulness he presented, for no one had ever dared speak to him with such disrespect or tone and lived to tell the tale. Being called 'Obi' grated his nerves, but he was a patient mind and a patient temper that desired, more than personal reverence, his attaining the objective the boy pressed him about. For that, he would allow this human to express himself in the way he had done so. It would be tolerable to a point. "My purpose?" he inquired, watching with a slight frown as to the way the human was eating.

"Yeah. Why're you poking around here? It can't be for the food," Kage replied and tossed a plate of something he had never seen before, but had tried and was repulsed by it, onto the table and searched for something new. In all honesty, he was rarely rude to this extent, but seeing as Flute was nearly boiling off the metal scales on his head, it was reason enough to act like a verifiable bastard. Not once did he look at Flute, for it seemed to just infuriate him more that he was ignored. That pleased Kage. "I didn't know Earth was the hot exile spot for rejected former commanders of impatient armies or whatever," he noted, making sure he informed them that he had noticed the 'rightful commander' title in Oberon's winded speech.

Oberon didn't at all seem pleased by the remark, and another tremor rumbled through the foundation of the temple, though he didn't seem to lose his cool exterior that had been the hallmark of his character since Kage had first laid eyes on him. As much as he wanted to bring this human into his grand scheme, he was forever cautious and further delayed the inclusion of this unknown variable into his well-schemed equation. "Are you a snake or a dragon, young Kage?" he asked.

The question caught Kage a bit off guard, and he paused with a mouthful of rice and stared at Oberon through his dark lenses. "Eh?" he said through a mouthful of kernels, so that it came more as a grunt rather than an interrogative.

"It is a very simple question. You see, a dragon is a very noble creature indeed, according to your history. It is dignity at its finest. This creature fears no other, and quakes the very land it prowls, causing fear and terror to overcome all that look upon it. Yes, the dragon is a great creature, but also greatly misunderstood," Oberon said, tonguing each word delicately from his lips as though a lover would. "In it lies pure power, utter strength and undeniable ferocity that forever embalms it to the realm of fear. No other creature may conquer it, and like so many other unconquerable things, it is looked upon as a great terror," he continued. This embodiment of the mythical dragon did turn Kage's gears, for he threw aside his brash skit for Oberon and his cronies to ponder the depth of the namesake behind his eyes. Eyes of the Dragon. The Ryuugan. These were harsh truths in his life, and the one that might save him, the Keeper of the Dragons, was yet another reason to consider these words and not respond as his smart assed-self.

"The snake, however, is of equally impressive fortitude. It possesses neither the strength nor the ferocity of the dragon, but wields power such is equal to the dragon. No, my young friend, the serpent utilizes cunning and speed to seduce its prey. A snake strikes out from the dark when no one realizes its there. It is an assassin – a dark eddy that pulls in the victim due to fear and hesitation. It is the power without the passion, a perfect predator that prizes the moment rather than the outlook," Oberon said smoothly, his eyes glowering upon the image of Kage in them, as if they sought to swallow him whole. The entire mood of the room had changed, from the jocular antics of his taunting Flute to this entirely dreary conversation about what kind of person Kage was. Oberon was impatient for an answer, and he rest his knit fingers to his chin in speculative form. "Which is, young Kage? Are you a passionate dragon or a cunning snake?" he repeated with no shortness of tone.

Kage leaned back into his chair further, eyeing the creature named Oberon. Why was he asking him these stupid questions? Did Kage look like the type that continuously pondered the questions of the universe? Did it look like he gave a damn about the intensity of some distant god breaking wind and the effect it had on the souls of the damned? He was a person, not a damned reptile! Had it been posed by another person, he would have flung it back at them as some inane drabble that the weak-willed forced upon the world to secure their own pathetic views of where they stood. However, because Oberon was a creature of majesty and not to be taken lightly, Kage lightly tread upon the criteria for both.

"A snake," he replied after some thought, for he felt the name fit him better. Despite having the namesake eyes of the other, he denied himself as having any of those noble aspects. Dignity was something he threw away. Ferocity had been perverted into madness. Whatever small measure of his unconquerable soul survived his soul-wrenching tragedy, it had all but been wiped away when he had aided the very evil that had broken him; aided it in attacking those that cried for him. In the cries and screams of dozens of innocent souls, Kage resigned himself to the cold, callous striking of the snake. He was a shadow, after all. Try as he would to regain his birthright, his soul was marked with one great black spot, a spot that would never subside beneath the surface.

Oberon was now silent, turning over the answer in his head. _A snake. This boy considers himself a snake. He is this great polar opposite of me, the noble dragon. Like the others I have tamed, this snake may be coiled about my hand and made to strike as I see fit, for no serpent has ever conquered the dragon. Yes, it was as I thought. This boy will make a fine consort. _"Then I shall tell you of our plans here. However, I shall give you the benefit of understanding that beyond this point, you are no longer of your own free will. After this, you are now part of our crusade, a working hand that will bring destruction upon our foe. There is no return," Oberon said with no more inclinations of humor in his voice. It was obvious he was laying down the laws as they would apply to him in the future. "I shall not insult you by informing you of your fate should you not comply," he added and, as if appeased by the very thought of it, Flute let out a deep, rumbling laugh that echoed in the room.

"Tch, I get it. I'm in or I'm dead. Let's hear your grand story and where I fit in," Kage replied and kicked his boots up onto the table, slinging his arms back behind his head and waiting for that wonderful information that would allow him to judge just how much of a threat these creatures were to his lover's peace and safety.

"Avalon is a planet so far away, your scientists have yet to witness its majesty. Indeed, our planet is so great that an entire confederation of worlds have sought our leadership and protection. With endless oceans of the purest water, lands so rich with life that one could hardly dare tread upon them and skies of the deepest emerald hue, our home is the pride of the galaxy. It is even legend that once, in times countless before time was counted, the great Sailor Galaxia was born on our soil. Yet it is that very soldier that brought the storm upon our beautiful lands. At the time, the beautiful Queen Solace ruled our world, for she had been the most powerful and most benevolent soul to be gifted upon the monarchy. She was a devout pacifist, vibrantly against any type on conflict, and welcomed the Golden Queen to our world with open arms.

"Yet the Golden Queen was not as benevolent as she. Some great power had possessed her, and as our defenses lay silent, something precious was taken from our queen. Declaring Avalon a servant to her will, the Golden Queen dispatched her wicked soldiers to oversee our compliance, then simply left us in agony. Our great queen fallen, her wrists clad in some lewd restraints, she was simply a shell of herself, a silent creature that had lost all of her willingness to live. Because of this, our queen was put in a guarded place and remains there to this very day, silent and oppressed by some great evil.

"The queen's brother, Prince Paragon, is a great man. He is second only to her majesty in power, yet is otherwise untouched by any other on our world. At the arrest of his sister, he became ruler of our confederation and, as those wicked soldiers paraded about in our lands, plundered our resources and denied our sovereignty, the mighty prince bided his time, waiting for the opportunity to free our world of this golden leash upon us. For, you see my young friend, although these soldiers upon on world were of no great threat to us, it was that Golden Queen that we feared. Never had such power touched our lands, and not even our strongest caste could dare to oppose her. My prince knew this, and he spent every moment of sunlight to try and free Avalon from the clutches of this wicked soldier.

"How long our world festered in the grip of that creature, I know not. However, as abruptly as this occupation had begun, it came to an abrupt end. As if some great event had happened some million miles away, the soldiers that had been left on our world were struck, altered somehow as the same bracelets that imprisoned our queen fell from their wrists. And they were changed, oblivious as to how they had come to be and penitent to their actions. Upon hearing this, our highest hopes were whispering, as the prince sought his sister. However, solemnly stepping from her sanctuary, we were informed that no change had come to her, and though our world had been freed of its shackles, Queen Solace's yet remained. A servant of the Imperial house was assigned to attend our queen, and the prince continued his rule, resigning his rule to finding the reason for our queen's continued bondage."

Oberon took a moment here to close his eyes, obviously weighted by the story he was telling and seemed to hold it all in the utmost reverence. It was obvious that these facts explained why he was there, and the climax to his story was up and coming behind his tightly pressed lips.

Kage yawned, rubbing his head sleepily while the story unfolded before him. Instead of paying attention to the stories that had so far held no relevance to him as the their purpose their or the effect it would have on his loved ones, he was eagerly waiting for Oberon to pass along this moving story through his lips like a bowel movement, hoping it would be much less reverent and much more violent. He had always had a short attention span for the politics of history. Only change by war interested him.

"Now comes to our purpose. Upon learning of the Golden Queen's last movements and finding she had met a power on this planet that had defeated her, it at once became of great interest for Prince Paragon. If such a power could change the Golden Queen back into her benevolent self and send shockwaves through the entire galaxy, then such a power could not be left to spread like a disease, to infect and alter all of those sovereign planets that have once again found freedom. We also suspect that the source of this power is keeping our queen retrained. For these reasons, I was dispatched to this place, deferring my command of the Imperial forces, to assess this power and destroy it," Oberon continued, his voice becoming grave as he opened his eyes upon Kage. There was hesitation in his intent. It was duty to fulfill the orders of his prince, and thus was the reasons for his presence on Earth.

At once, Kage was much more interested in the story, if only because there was threats of death and destruction, two things that he were well-known to him, being held in the air like great birds ready to feed. Yes, he knew that it would come down to that. That dumpling head was always in the attention of the worst kinds of people, for they all seemed to want to destroy her or crush her or do something else to her. Not that he could blame them. Most of the time, he wanted to kick her as well, but mostly because she was an annoying little brat that defied his reasoning when it came to understanding power. Makoto had told him a bit about that story, the one with the Golden Queen and how Usagi's pure heart was able to remind her and face against Chaos. That brat had a knack for doing that to the wickedness of the greedy. Yet, knowing what he did about it know, and that Oberon's purpose here was not beneficial to those soldiers that had battled the Golden Queen, he leaned forward onto the table and stared at Oberon through his dark glasses, his Ryuugan fixed intently on his brooding visage. "Destroy it?"

"Yes," he replied, "destroy those soldiers that were able to defeat the Golden Queen and that still have a hold on our Empire. It is my purpose to kill each of them until the hold is broken. For the sake of the galaxy, Sailor Moon and her subordinates must not be allowed to grow in power." Oberon was resolved to achieve this, and the boy sitting across from him seemed to flourish where the light was fleeting. Before, he had been curious as to the nature of the boy's knowledge, but seeing his candor change at the mention of their names, Oberon was sure that he had previously heard of them before and was, for good or for bad, more aware of these things than any normal human. Producing angular discs of thin metal, he began tossing them onto the table one after the other, and each held the image and an extensive biography of each of the Sailor senshi. "What say you, Kage, my boy? Help me kill them all – Sailor Moon; Sailor Mercury; Sailor Mars; Sailor Jupiter; Sailor Venus; Sailor Uranus; Sailor Neptune; Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto," he said finally, throwing the last one before him and watching his reactions.

Kage was struck. His eyes fell immediately upon the image of Sailor Jupiter, and the invasion it represented upon their lives. For a moment, he allowed himself to be in love with her again, gently looking over her image with a soft look hidden behind his sunglasses. However, he also felt the sting of that love. This wicked proposition made his blood boil under his skin, but Kage was trying to keep his own relationship with these soldiers under his hat for now, for Oberon would hardly be as cordial should he learn that the ones he intended to destroy were the very ones that had saved Kage from an ultimate doom what would have dragged down his wretched soul. Still, her image was reflected in his glasses, and he could hardly look away. If these inquisitors were gathering information on them, then it was entirely possible that Kage's identity would be revealed far sooner than was convenient. "I know the media in Tokyo would love to have these. How did you take them?" Kage asked innocently, gritting his teeth in lieu of potential bad luck.

"Our methods exceed that of your primitive planet. Observation was almost immediate after our arrival. Currently, some new developments have demanded more resources than usual, and we are only catching up with the last revolution around your star. However, recently our detection equipment registered startling readings and I am quite eager to assess these new entities," Oberon continued, producing a new slab and tossing it onto the others. It came to a stop a bit slanted to him, but Kage was instantly able to recognize the figures. There were four of them, taken from a strange angle and from a great distance, but it was undeniably obvious who the new figures were. On the disc, Kage's own maddened eyes were cast aside out of annoyance, for the proximity of Yamito was particularly agitating for him then. Fortunately, apparently due to Yamito's insane power and the particular effect it had on Oberon's images, a strange aura slightly masked Kage's face and, with any luck, it would be a tricky thing to identify him by his old self. After all, he was an entirely new beast now.

However, that was an inevitable fact and, knowing now that Oberon sought to destroy the one he loved, Kage's course was clear. His fist smashing down onto the table startled all of them, for it sent a metallic echo through the hall that lingered like a singing note. The image had been fractured, with the corresponding force making the metal plate damage the others that had been under it, and long cracks spread like a web out from his fist, jarring the images of himself and those that he looked after. Inwardly, he wondered if that was a bit too blatant, but it didn't matter. Slipping back into his chair once more, Kage lost his impish grin at the threat to his beautiful Makoto. "All this because you want my help with that? You want to destroy those soldiers that protect Earth? You think you can? I've heard some pretty bad ass monkeys have tried and, if I recall, that Sailor Moon girl is still sitting pretty. They ain't ever done anything to me," he said with a bit of a sharp voice.

Oberon had been a bit shaken by the reaction, but even more so by the way his object of desire was acting. Even to the alien, it was obvious the boy was not offended by the reason, but rather ruffled by something else, possibly having to do with the images that he had just shown him. His eyes had fallen to the broken images and his resolved now more than ever to assess them, but for now he was still hopeful that this boy, with his outstanding ability and unknown affiliation, would join him. "What bizarre boy you are. But perhaps I could assuage your temper. Your assistance in this matter would be quite appreciated. Should you choose the alternative to an untimely demise, you would certainly advance handsomely through the ranks of the Imperial forces. I assure you, one sight of Avalon and this pathetic planet would seem like a grave," he said, not bothering to dwell on memories of his beloved Avalon. "As to your concerns about our ability to execute these plans," he continued, his hands falling to the table before him with a dull thud. The swelling of Oberon's power was almost instantaneous, and it not only affected the very air Kage was breathing, for it suddenly became very difficult to breath or even tolerate the prickling sensation on his skin, but also the aura that had thus far been scorching to his Ryuugan now became a torrent of pressure, with great whipping tendrils of energy reaching out in all directions, threatening to consume him should he underestimate them. Outwardly, Oberon showed nothing, but a low, deep rumble pulsing through the lair proved that this manifestation of power was real, and Kage had a genuine reason to react how he did.

He was sweating. This swell did more than dampen his arrogance to the matter, but it nearly defeated him. Kage had never felt such a force, for it was much different than Yamito's, though similar in magnitude. Yamito's power had always been reserved and subtle, mostly because the frail young man was fearful of his own power and, as any fearful boy would do, resisted it will all his might. Oberon's power was free, at liberty to exhume all depths of its splendor in order to fulfill his design. As some sort of homage to his former friend that yet remained unforgiven, Kage judged that Oberon's power, however vast, did not measure up to that entity that had been entombed in Yamito, and he was grateful for that. Had anyone that same power coupled with the desire to use it, the world would shudder at their coming. It was one point he was thankful for, though he still judged his chances against Oberon to be very slim at best in terms of absolute strength.

Not at all showing that he was intimidated by the display, though not one visible spark had admonished him, Kage attempted as best he could to shrug it off and replied with a wide, gaping yawn that once more sent a flurry of anger through Flute. Kage needed some time to estimate his position. This was achieved by feigning his disinterest and sliding his chair back with a long, screeching tone. "I'll think about it. You tell me about other planets and queens and Sailor girls and expect me to jump into bed with you like that?" he asked, snapping his fingers to break the mood that had settled over the hall. The others were, as always, off balance by his behavior, but Oberon sat meekly as he listening to the script. "Story time always made me sleepy. I want to nap on it. Where's the sack?" he continued and yawned once more, though inwardly cursing and berating his own bad acting ability.

Oberon seemed displeased at the abrupt conclusion, yet his patience remained untested. Waving his free hand through the air, two more figures appeared into the hall and approached Kage, though these were of a different animal than he had encountered. They were human. They were only human. Obviously utilized as the labor force for his operation, Oberon seemingly retained quite a force of humans, all of which having proved a minute potential of usefulness. Kage had noticed the breaking auras before and now he was satisfied with the explanation. After all, it was only logical that, on a planet packed with a work force, Oberon should make use of the abundance. However, as these two guards gestured for Kage to follow, it was blatantly obvious that despite having shed their false exteriors for their proposition, the other humans were not able to see Oberon and the others as Kage was. Oberon probably appeared as human as before to these simple men and women.

Perhaps, Kage guessed, all of the power and intent laid potent in Oberon and his crew were merely looked over by the greedy fare, as most blinding terrors were only as obvious as the eyes that chose to notice them.

After Kage had disappeared into the lair, leaving Oberon and his minions at the empty stalls before them, an enraged Flute pounded his fists upon the table and rose, fully prepared to give his delegation of the matter in passionate, agitated moans. However, Oberon, seemingly ignoring the general's general state of mind, turned his head to the side, his eyes passing the silent, reverent woman beside him and staring harshly at the recluse figure that had been so efficiently intimidated by Kage's banter. "You will tell me all I wish to know about that human, Andromeda. Touch his mind, taste his memories and, when you have found his core, you will tell me. You have no other task but to this single desire," he said, causing all eyes to fall on the hooded woman sitting so disturbed.

Despite the fact that she had already grazed over a fraction of his mind, and that she had felt tremors through her soul that resonated her doom so vividly that she swore she saw a black mask settling over her face, the timid woman conceded with a simple nod, not daring to let her eyes fall upon the mighty and noble Oberon. It was her fortune to obey, and never to raise her eyes in protest or consent.

Oberon sat back deeply in his chair and let his eyes settle upon the metal plates that had been jarred by the ambiguous fist of his prize, and at once he knew that whatever doubts and troubles stirred in his strange, unknown heart, the answers lay there in cracked descriptions and the few telltale remnants of blood that had been paid by the boy in his fit of illusion. The human drew further as he laid out his prey.

Oberon wanted to know why.

* * *

The vast, interlocking corridors of the lair provided quite the labyrinth for any poor soul that would be careless enough to wander about with no frame of reference or no purpose to speak of. The hallways were deceptive bellies of some great beast that wanted nothing more than a thousand helpless souls to wander about in its reflective innards and waste away into dust, only to be blown as dust across the defiant lenses of the thousand reflective mirrors at head, foot and hand, dulling them as a sort of revenge. It was impossible to imagine the temple, even when standing in its bowels, that the outside, so decrepit and colored, was nothing but a skin that hid its true terror – the universe of analogous images that followed every step, yet never once moved in the same direction. Had this been some premonition as the to future, where perfection was the depthless progression of simple planes, then it was better, perhaps, to revel in the throes of ignorance, for no man was as lost as when he looked about and saw nothing but himself in all directions. That was true chaos.

The timid woman, a displaced creature by the name of Andromeda, had been set upon a very arduous task. Like the countless before, this task was to invade the essence of a sentient creature and violate the only sanctuary offered by the design; to see things left uncovered and hear things left unsaid. It was never an easy task, yet this time she had been professedly wearier of the mark.

In slow, progressing steps, she walked through the hallway, accompanied only by herself and a thousand others like her, each walking in a separate direction with the same purpose. The metallic robes she wore were laden with many ardent frills, as if to try and offset her fearful disposition. Indeed, her attire could have been described as quite beautiful though the creature herself was confined by the expressionless gaze she wore and those deep, gunmetal grey eyes that stared forward with no purpose but to stare forward. Indeed, the entire presence of the woman was that of mediocrity and conflict, for even as soft as her steps fell, they moved with perfect synchrony; no matter how interlaced her dress may have been, her blank demeanor robbed her of any real chance at magnificence, yet with her long aluminum hair that nearly touched its rising reflection at her feet, framing the softness of her pallid skin and the doll-like innocence of her countenance, she patented her own sense of beauty that radiated despite the cold, empty presence in her eyes.

At least, that's what Kage put together in his head as she came around the corner to find him perched on an outcropping of metal, eagerly watching her approached through the thousand other eyes yet hidden behind his sunglasses. "Nice day for a stroll, huh? The sun is shining, the flowers are in bloom…" he started and she started, making him grin at her visible display of fear at his presence. "Of course, even if all those things were visible, who knows if people from other planets appreciate that sort of shit like we do, eh?"

Andromeda was trembling under her robes, her delicate hands drawn up to her chest in front of her at the appearance of this wily human and her eyes drawn downwards slightly at the force of habit of her station. "K-Kage-sama? Why does Kage-sama not retire to his room and consider Master Oberon's proposal?" she stuttered, her voice once more held back at her discomfort and causing Kage to angle his head to accommodate her failing.

"Huh, ain't you a strange little talking doll? Ya know, if you don't talk louder, I'll have to come closer to hear you," he said, sliding down from his place and planting his feet on his reflection with a loud pang. Andromeda winced at the sound, and further tried to retreat as he approached with blatant, heavy footsteps. Grinning wildly, Kage now towered over her dainty frame and leaned down giving her an intimate introduction with her alien reflection in his sunglasses. At her trembling, and the obvious desire she had to move away, Kage offered a satiated laugh that bounced deeply in his throat. "Are you afraid of me? Eh?" he asked.

"I…I…" she stuttered in return, her dull eyes wide with fear and desire to retreat to her safety in Oberon's might. Yet even that prospect had been dimming lately. No, she had to stand her ground, for Kage gave the impression that should she turn away to flee, then he would certainly maul her for her cowardice, or at least her insult. Many others had felt this before, and Andromeda felt this now.

Kage laughed a bit more, as if satisfied that she could not answer, for as noble as his character might have been, he still gorged himself on the tremors of the fearful when faced with his unprecedented viciousness. "You should be. I'm a bad person. If you think Obi there is bad news, then you ain't but heard the stroke of ten. But," he said, reaching his hand up as if to caress her trembling cheek, but lingered just far enough away to remain mysterious and unnerving. The same mood settled over him as when he had once worn the mark of the wicked, and it was all too practiced in him. "You're not quite the same as Obi and the others. You don't have the same aura. So I think to myself, 'What could this lady do for Obi to make up for her obvious lack in power?' The answer, I think, is very – scandalous," he continued, running his hand the length of her slowly while his smile spread.

By the time his hand had come to her stomach, Andromeda stepped back abruptly and held her trembling hands tightly to her chest, her voice now quivering greatly as she valiantly tried to battle this monster. "W-what do you wish of me, Kage-sama?" she asked passionately to stave his movements.

Kage watched her impishly, all the while grinning, and lowered his hand to his side. Oh, the things he knew because of his Ryuugan were luscious, and he felt more enlightened than the great commander himself. Still, throwing his hands in his pockets, Kage turned from her and shrugged, only offering her a response over his shoulder. "Whatever you tried to do in the car, don't try it again. In me, there is an entire world of pain and suffering that no one else could manage. If you dig up the volcano, knowing it's a volcano, and you get incinerated, that's called being a dipshit. Don't be a dipshit, lady, or the next time you start digging," he said and turned his head with a single, ominous smile, "I'll kill you."

And with that, Kage left Andromeda in the hallway, still trembling, still wondering and, most of all, still dreading the task demanded upon her by her master to enter that place that, as she had witnessed it, was a pit of flame, fiend and fatality. And, oh how, she feared that smile. Sincerely, and without question, she feared Yamamori Kage.


	5. Zhi

**Chapter Five – Zhi**

Kage had set off on his own again. After sensing his potential stability here faltering, it was only prudent to start making a ruckus in the lair. The humans were obviously just paid muscle used by Oberon's human alter ego to facilitate whatever they were doing here, but Kage almost felt bad for them when he could knock them around like dolls, despite the fact that each was proclaimed as an elite fighter in China. The goonish creatures Kage had faced during his little test were far more powerful, but even they had been nothing more than a superficial exposition of what his Ryuugan could do. True, the little time he had spent here had kept him on edge and he was the at the pinnacle of his form when under such pressure, but the very idea that these few fools could to stand a chance against the chosen soldiers of Serenity's light made Kage feel almost sorry for them. Almost. After all, he himself had tried and failed miserably. The idea of them trying to defeat that meatball head or her protectors made Kage stifle a laugh and he shoved open the door to the room heartily. Oberon, he considered, was a much different case.

Since parting with Andromeda, and with an almost uncharacteristic consideration on his part, Kage had decided to gain some much needed information about the aliens that had graciously brought him to their lair. Of course, he did this in the manner that most befit him – knocking heads and bending arms. He knew it was only a matter of time before Oberon completely abandoned his interest in him and found the truth in those images, so he was acting in anticipation for the drawn-out battle that loomed ahead. Yet, among all of the information he had gathered about the operation here and the five figures that stayed conveniently domestic to the human population, a new whiff of information had come to him about something Oberon possessed that, if the rumors were true, was the key to his success against Serenity. Such a thing provided Kage with an opportunity to sabotage Oberon's plans to bring danger to Tokyo.

For that purpose, Kage now opened the door that led to this grand invention. Even for his Ryuugan, it took a moment to adjust to the dark light and see the utter emptiness of the room. There was nothing there, save the darkness that swallowed every drop of light and the dust that was burning inside of Kage's nose. It was obviously and old room, yet the door eased open with a certainty that betrayed its frequent usage and the metal around the frame had been scarred and dulled with use. Still, for someone who viewed the world through mystic eyes, the room was a tomb, empty and stale. It confused him, this grand weapon that was apparently an empty room. He had just about turned to dismiss it as true rumor when he heard it; the slight whimpering of a fearful voice suppressed out of terror and the shifting of metal on metal. Nothing was more unnerving to Kage than the fact that he had not seen an aura or some kind of indication of a person within the dark bowels of the room, the kind of aura present on all livings things. No, this figure completely eluded the Ryuugan, causing Kage to suspect that whatever it was, it could not be human. It had to be their weapon.

He was rather curious as to what type of creature evaded his sight so and stepped further into the room, hearing the creature shifting more as he did - shifting away from him. Swinging silent and slow was a long chain from the ceiling. It taunted Kage with its lethargic swaying back and forth and, for a moment, he followed the chain with his eyes, somehow content in that moment to admire the lazy existence of a chain. Back and forth it moved, never seeking more than to constantly return over the same traveled path over and over. _What an existence_, he thought. After his moment had passed, Kage gripped the taunting chain tightly and yanked down, the sound of scraping metal marking change as the room was flooded with sunlight through shutters in the ceiling. The burst momentarily stung his eyes even through his sunglasses and it causing him to avert his gaze and shield the light with his hand. After the initial shock of light invading darkness, he looked back to the creature that had captured his attention and was instantly in awe of what he saw.

She was a young girl, no older than sixteen by Kage's estimate. Her hands were bound together with some kind of metal cable, which was in turn attached to another long cable that hung from the ceiling. He could guess that her arms could be raised above her head in such a manner, making the mood of the room and actions that transpired here all the more repugnant to him. The fact that she was dressed in nothing more than a torn, battered old T-shirt caused a tremor to force its way through Kage's closed fist, even if his face showed nothing more than apathy, a bland showing of just how blunted he had become in his years of darkness. The way the girl pulled down at the bottom of the shirt to cover herself only supported his theories and Kage suddenly felt a new desire to beat the hell out of Oberon and the others. Kage had seen death and gore at a level that would drive most mad with grief, yet it was the innocence lost of a young girl that caused a ringing anger to rise in him; a throbbing fury coupled with flashes of another young girl whose life was stolen away far too young. It resounded soundly within him.

With the light cast low over this girl's face, he could see the bruises and cuts over her body attesting to a long sentence of brutality and pain, though he did admire the fact that many of the injuries were on her knuckles and feet. "At least she doesn't give up without a fight," he said to himself quietly and shifted the keys in his hand to mimic the sounds of her slowly shifting chains.

The new sound of metal was the sound of freedom before her. The girl could hardly believe that this new figure had just walked in and dropped the keys before her, offering her freedom with no catch or demand. Without moving her head, she looked up at this would-be savior and pressed her lips together, biting back the intense hatred at the image of her typical visitor. His dark sunglasses; that smug expression; it almost made her cry she was so angry, but instead she slowly moved her hands onto the keys and slid them to her, the sound of metal scraping across the floor deafening.

Then, there was no sound but the wind outside the shutters and the minute passing of a Death's Headed Sphinx. The dust passing through the light appeared much like a great slice through the dark shadows, illuminating her completely and only the very outline of her savior. For the moment, it was all they shared - this wedge of gold in black. An eternity passed before Kage snorted impatiently and ran his hand through his hair, obviously annoyed that she was still kneeling there like a trembling little girl, dismissing the fact that she was exactly that. "Man, are you gonna escape or what? Do I have to draw you a dia..." Kage began casually but was quickly cut of by the shuddering sound of the girl's howling start.

It startled him, this girl's abrupt scream, but the next thing Kage heard was the sound of his own breath lurching out of him as her heel had smashed into his chest, blowing the air out of his lungs with such a force that he swore he could taste the metallic sting of blood and reeled into the hard wall behind him. Soon after, this girl was in such a fit of rage that her attacks seemed hardly organized, but rather a lashing animal trying to find a moment of hope for that genuine. It took Kage a moment to recover from the first barrage, but soon his instincts had kicked back in and he was evading her strikes with a foray of expletives on his lips. "What the hell are you doing!"

"I won't play these perverted games of yours! You made the mistake of letting these chains off and now you have to pay for it!" she hollered back, focusing her attacks now as her rage tapered off slightly.

"Perverted games! What the hell are you talking about?" he roared and slapped away her kicks amidst the flustering anger he felt as well. Did she think he was letting her flee so he could get off on catching her and the ensuing struggle? Did she think he was some kind of sexual deviant? Had he not been so busy fighting, he might have really been angry at the insinuation, but currently, he was too busy fending off her furious attack.

Her fighting style was anything but, for all she could manage in her tempest was tears and overwrought anger, all flowing through her burning eyes and clenched teeth. Kage had already seen past her mood and was effortlessly knocking aside her attacks, flicking his hands through the air casually to avert her punches and kicks. It only made her even angrier and less able to attack him. From her form and balance, he was able to judge that she was trained in some form of martial art, but her emotional hurricane of crying and whimpering proved that she was far too unstable at the moment to remember it. All she wanted to do was hurt him, and that meant her attacks were meaningless. He did, however, make note of a unique characteristic of her assault that went otherwise silently into his memory. With a smirk on his lips, he watched her pathetic display of grief and began parrying her force with a single hand, perhaps only to show that she was making no progress in her pursuit to cause him pain.

Seeing how smugly he was defending, the girl felt a new wave of anger and forced another surge of hatred to build up behind her movements, though she would not have a single moment to let that hatred vent. Even with her arms held in front of her to block the kick, the full force of the strike sent her flying back into the wall, knocking the wind out of her and causing her to fall to her knees in exhaustion. Being chained up for so long had weakened her and sapped the strength from her muscles, but she was also overwhelmed by her opponent's strength. Her eyes rose up just in time to see his stance, that bizarre and beautiful stance and his foot setting down softly to the ground after the powerful kick. Her eyes widened. She recognized the style and that move that had knocked her away. She instantly knew it, for she only knew one other person that could perform it with the power she had just seen. Whoever this young man was, he was not like the others that had entered the room for her. He was something different. In fact, she would have fully embraced his title of savior if she could have believed that this young man was the successor to her grandfather's martial art. However, since she knew without a doubt that her grandfather had no such pupil, this person's ability to use that style was a great surprise to her. It threw her into chaos as questions filled her mind. However, one thing was for sure - he had stopped humoring her unleashed anger and stunned her with a single, fluid kick.

"So," Kage snorted roughly and fixed the band of his sunglasses, "are you done or do you wanna dance some more?" All pity aside, Kage didn't care if she had been born with only one breast, for the moment she attacked him, she became an opponent and Kage treated all opponents the same. This chivalry of letting her fury prevail only lived so long within him. His nature wouldn't allow her any more time to recover.

"Who are you?" the girl wheezed as she struggled to stand, her muscles burning at the sudden burst of activity and impact of his kick. Her hands were shaking in a mix of anger and exhaustion, but she wouldn't show her weakness to him. She wouldn't give him that pleasure. Finally, she was able to get a good look at him, through eyes unclouded by fury, and decided that he was indeed not like the others. Something about him actually made her feel safer than she had been in the past six months, but that didn't show in her burning eyes.

Kage snorted again, crossing his arms over his chest at the very idea of kicking first and talking second. The hypocrisy was not apparent to him and he simply threw his weight to the side in a cool stance. "I'm the guy that just saved your sorry ass," he replied. As hard as it was for her to accept it, that was the truth and he saw the running of doubt through her jaded eyes and the way her brow rose and fell with each consideration of his authenticity. As thin as his philanthropy had become, he saw little use in lingering further. He had saved her. Due to her obvious training, he gauged that she had a fair chance of escaping, should she steer clear of Oberon or the others. Parting with a snort of impatience, he promptly turned without another word and continued his expedition into the lair, feeling somewhat satisfied that he had done something good for a change.

However, before he could even exit the room, a shrill protest from the girl caught his attention. "Wait!" she cried, causing him to stop and turn his head. In the same place, she stood, her hands still clenched together in fear and anticipation, as if she fully expected another fight from him. Despite her abrupt protest, she know stood silent and bit her bottom lip, casting her eyes downward in a fit of self-loathing due to her unsure thoughts. Dare she trust him? Was he really different from those terrible people that had kidnapped her? For the moment, she didn't know, and this hesitation caused her to linger in silence and hope.

"The name's Kage. You got a name, or should I just call you 'ingrate'?" he said dryly, snapping her expression and making him look at her. By now he was facing her again, appearing quite put off by her, but sustaining the only bit of humanity she had experienced in a long while. Really, he hadn't planned on making any friends in his wandering through the complex, but the fact that this girl was obviously shadowed by this place and her situation was one that Kage despised, forced him to believe that his meeting her in a place like this could not have been mere chance, but rather some kind of purpose of grand design or folly. There was also the fact that she still did not have substance to his Ryuugan, which intrigued him. The girl pressed her lips together in a mixture of worry and anger at the nickname, and although feeling a little more than guilty for attacking him outright, she bit back all words and simply stared at him with uncertain eyes. This, of course, annoyed him even more and sighed out a burst of exasperated air. "Listen, you brat, I really ain't gonna wait all day. It's a helluva lot easier just leaving you here, but I'm being a nice guy for once. You got a name or not?" he said, displaying his usual flare for getting right to the point.

The girl was hesitant, her eyes filled with fear and suspicion. However, there was something about this young man that made her feel safe, despite his rough demeanor and gruff warnings. Against all warnings learned well within the past six months, she dipped her head slightly and spoke in a voice flowing meekly from her throat. "Zhi," she answered.

The answer satisfied him for the moment, and he threw another snort at her. "Huh, easier to say than 'ingrate' so looks like Zhi it is. You've got two options then: first, you can come with me and I'll make sure you get out of here; second, I leave your ass here and, believe me, here ain't a place you're gonna wanna be at soon," Kage said as he stood straight and starting walking towards her, his footsteps echoing in the room with the finality of her decision. She winced at every step, reminding him just how difficult it must have been for her to be in this situation, but his options were meant to expedite their departure from this place, not fan another conflict. And, as a rule, Kage would always be Kage. "There ain't no middle ground. You come with me or you sink. Which is it?"

Zhi still felt like her back was against the wall, even though she stood in the middle of the room. His approach had sent her hands up in front of her to fend away some potential assault even though she did not remember doing it; a sad reminder that the things she had endured for the past six months would never allow herself to be the same young girl she was as she picked flowers in the country with her grandfather. Whether she liked it or not, she had to take care of herself and, in this case, that meant trusting this young man in the dark sunglasses with the task of helping her escape. There was nothing particularly trustworthy in his appearance, for he truly looked like one of the bad people that had been constantly trying to ruin her as her hands lay tied and twisted in chains. Yet, there was something in his voice that soothed her, some far and distant thing that told her of some equally tragic reign of cruelty in his life. For that fact alone, she felt there was no other choice but to trust this person that had been the first to show genuine concern for her since coming to this hell.

Standing straight and letting her arms down for the first time in six failings of the moon, she nodded her consent to him and would allow this young man the task of setting her free. It was the leap of faith that her grandfather had always preached to her, though she simply saw it as the fastest way to leave the awful place.

"Yah, well, let's see if we can find you some clothes first," Kage said with a bit of a weary voice as he tried to present himself as best as he could in the face of her ruffled T-shirt that had worked itself onto her hips in their battle. As tough he played himself to be, he was still a young man and, coincidently, one that had not been that experienced in the realm of a young girl's skin. His world being destroyed after years of lying in rubble did that to him. War did that to him. Still, it was almost charming the way he turned and scratched at the back of his head uncomfortably. He had found love the hard way, and his entire exodus to China was for his unsure heartbeat, but he still fought himself over the sight of her long, bare legs. Being a guy was tough.

Instantly, Zhi was pulling the shirt down and flailing her free arm at him, her voice shrieking through the dank air of the room in shrills of pure and absolute femininity. Utterly embarrassed that he had seen those parts of her body, there was nothing more she could do to combat the burning across her face than to ward away his eyes with her hand and squeal in embarrassment. "Kyaaa! Don't look, don't look!" she wailed.

The outburst made Kage cross his arms over his chest and bury his chin in his chest, his brows dropping and twitching at the instantaneous regression of a broken girl to shy prude. "What the hell…"

* * *

"Would you hurry up already? You're not going to a damn fashion show," Kage grumbled as Zhi was busy putting on the clothes from one of the guards. Having lifted the possessions from yet another victim of Kage's brutality, he cast his eyes skyward and sighed softly with the thoughts to that girl. He had promised to try and behave, but it seemed that more and more he was falling into his old habits. "I think I can omit this little part of my story when I get back," he mused into the air. It seemed there was a growing number of things he would omit from his tale, causing him to gruffly laugh to himself and scratch his neck.

Suddenly, one of the guards' helmets came whizzing from inside of the room and smacked him in the head, then landed on the ground next to him with a spinning thud. Kage whipped around in a fury that would seem to engulf the entire world in its wake, his brow twitching and his jaw clenched. She had actually thrown it at him! This kind of gratitude was unheard of, and he seethed at the insult. "The hell!" he howled but his anger somewhat faded as Zhi strolled from the dark room with her hands clenched in new determination and an impish smirk on her lips.

The young girl had discarded the shirt that had been her only defense against the monster's eyes, instead putting on the guard's black undershirt that was entirely too small even for her, for it was tight over her chest and yet offered no coverage of her midriff. This undershirt reminded Kage that she was indeed a girl, for it pulled her chest up snugly to her in excellent round breasts and revealed the bare curves and corners of a young girl's stomach and lower back. She also had slipped into the pair of faded khaki pants that were too big for her, but a quick use of a length of the same cable that had bound her kept them around her waist. He inwardly wondered how she could have such a smirk while keeping something tied to her trauma, but left her to her own devices. She also had pulled her long, unkempt black hair back behind her head, leaving long strands to still play at the top of her back where the shirt left her skin bare.

Above all else, Kage marveled at the smooth caramel eyes that she now flashed brilliantly, eyes that had been drowned in darkness for six months and no had a chance to shine even in the dimly lit hallway outside her cell. Her eyes were very impressive, which was saying a lot coming from him since his eyes were unique throughout the world. The clothes were obviously neglected, her hair was stringy and unwashed for who knew how long, and the fact that the shirt was too small and the pants were too big was almost comical to him, yet, overall, he couldn't avoid the fact that she was a very attractive young girl. It was a shame that she had fallen into such a jaded situation. But these simple changes made her appear as if a new person, with the greatest factor in the change the determined look on her face.

That look fell broken as she impishly stuck her tongue out at Kage for his remark, pleased with herself about the aim with the helmet. In the end, she acted very much like a young girl untouched by the evils of the world, even though he had witnessed firsthand her traumatic encounter. "A little girl from Japan once came through my home village and taught me a good word. I think it suits you well. _Baka,_" she said and flashed her tongue at him, this time imitating the young girl she had met and pulled at the bottom eyelid of one of her eyes also. It was all just superficial revenge for him calling her an ingrate.

Kage's blood was boiling in an instant and he considered his shaking fist and the forcible silence it would bring to this surprisingly high-spirited captive. "You little brat..." he snarled more to himself than to her, but before anything could come of it the hallway began to flash with red lights and the distant alarm told them both that they were now in the hot seat. Zhi was instantly appearing more agitated and looking around quickly, though he couldn't blame her. She feared being put back in the cell. She feared being in that prison once more. As Kage calmly watched her from behind his sunglasses, a strangely intense feeling came over him, a feeling that had eluded him for the past five years. He wanted to help her. He wanted this simply because the person Kage once was, that young boy that was lost by the brutal death of his sister, felt the pull of duty to use what talents he had to make others' lives better. Somehow feeling this made him feel closer not only to his beloved Mika, but also closer to her. Yes, that person understood more than anyone the act of serving the world in spite of the consequences. Just by feeling this way, he felt a thousand miles closer to Tokyo. It made him smile lightly and speak idly into the air, "Shit, I guess ol' Obi isn't humoring me anymore – probably recognized the picture. Gonna be a fight today."

Zhi had been watching him for a moment, watching his mind wander in the most desperate of times. What was he thinking about? Why did he smile like that? This young man was something of a mystery to her, for they had only just met and everything about him seemed to be a contradiction. He was rough and a bit callous, yet he was making it a personal quest to help her from her dire situation. The way he spoke, even for her level of Japanese, coupled with his appearance made her question just how trustworthy he could be, yet it was that voice that caused her to feel safe and trust that he would follow through to the end in his desire to save her. He was young, but seemed so very old – aged even. His way of speaking had many antiquated words and sayings, but he also spoke like a street thug. All of this made her stare at him intently, her young heart beating at the vision in her eyes. Time seemed to slow as young hearts pondered the love that bit so intensely.

Kage looked down at her, his face oblivious and his mystic eyes blinking at her expression. What was she looking at? She couldn't see his eyes, could she? Maybe he had something in his nose? "What?" he asked, idly scratching his nose in a sly attempt to jar her object of interest away.

The fact that she had been staring at him was lost on her, but having been confronted about it, she suddenly felt very hot across her cheeks and waved a wild hand at him, her girlish nature coming back to her in slowly gaining waves. "Iya, nothing! I was just...uhm...it's nothing!" she cried as she turned away from, to deny him the sight of her blushing cheeks. Something was wrong with her! This was the first time she had ever acted this way, yet she couldn't seem to stop herself either. Idly poking her two index fingers together, Zhi pressed her lips as she forcibly willed her cheeks to stop burning. She didn't know why they were anyway! Maybe it was the fact that Zhi had never really been with anyone her own age before, including any boys, or because she had been alone for so long in the cell, but her heart seemed to beat out of control when she looked at him, like it was something so wrong to steal a peek. Even though she had initially been infuriated by his appearance, she thought he was very dashing, even without seeing his eyes. Her grandfather had always taught her that you could know a person just by looking into their eyes, for the eyes were the window into the inner sanctuary of that person. Since Kage wore his sunglasses even inside the dimly lit hallway, she was denied a true look into his soul. Still, she was finding it hard to fight her heartbeat when she looked at him. Inwardly, she imagined that he had very beautiful eyes.

"So, are you gonna move your ass or what? These red lights ain't for the dinner special, you know," Kage said sharply as he jerked a thumb to the exit, trying to get the point across that they had to go.

Spinning around to face him, she still had a tinge of red across her cheeks, which was thankfully drown out by the flashing lights and the level of light in the hallway. "I know that! I'm ready to go when you..." she started but was cut off when she looked over his shoulder and saw two more guards come speeding around the corner. They both had long bamboo staffs with very vicious blades at the end, obviously meant to thrash any opponent in seconds. Seeing them rushing in such a fury and not having much experience in fighting for her life, a wave of fear flooded Zhi's veins and her bottom lip quivered, her voice not even able to squeak out a warning to Kage. Instead, she simply froze and feared that dark place that had swallowed her for the stay of her captivity. Death was a fearsome beast to a young girl fresh in her freedom. It was a genuine tug on her soul that froze her body and betrayed her desire to avoid relinquishing her newfound liberty.

It only took two flashes; two pulses of red began and ended her newfound fear. In the first flash, she saw Kage's body wrench around and send a fanning kick right past the first guard's head and into the second guard, his leg passing the first guard's blade by mere centimeters but moving without hesitation or flaw. She could hear the impact of his boot against the woman's head and the dull thud of consciousness being robbed from a living person. At first, she had felt another wave of fear surge as Kage had obviously left her open for the assault from the first guard, yet she quickly noticed that his orbiting hand had gripped the first guard's visor and helmet at the same time, his body resetting at the end of his kick and his shoulders winding up against the weight and inertia of the guard. Then, everything became dark. The period between flashes seemed to last forever and Zhi's sharp inhalation caused her voice to squeak slightly. In that gloom, she heard the second guard cry out and the sound of something being shattered into many pieces.

When the red light filled the hallway, a duality of relief and horror came over her. Both guards were now lying motionless on the floor, the first guard propped up against the wall where Kage had left him. The helmet that had once promised protection was how nothing but shards in his lap, though judging by the massive dent in the wall above his head, it obviously saved his life. Kage was brushing his hands off against his pants and mumbling some random jargon, but seemed put off when he saw Zhi's expression. "What? Were you scared because of those two lilies?" he asked and grinned at the humor of it. But Zhi's eyes were wide for many reasons.

_He's vicious when he fights_, she thought. She knew that those two guards were trying to harm them but now they were both lying in pain and blood due to their effort of futility, like running into the side of a mountain at full speed to try and break through. Plus, he subdued them both in such short strokes and she could believe that he could help her escape the five figures that had effortlessly swept aside her entire village's fighters. In any case, it was quickly becoming clear that this person was not like anyone she had ever met before. That thought made her feel easy in his care, but also more prone to her rapid heartbeat. There was nothing more consuming that a person that conquered your vision. "Let's go. If anything else comes, big brother Kage will take care of you," he said, giving her a quick thumbs up to assure her of their success.

That thought made Zhi's fears forgotten. The feeling that someone would actually be there for her made an unusual feeling come over her – to comfort her. She had been alone for so long that it almost felt fake, but it was a feeling that made her feel so wonderful that she didn't want to let it go. So, instead, she held up a confident fist and grinned widely, happy at the thought of being able to pay back those that had kept her locked away in that cell for so long and pressed her week after week about the location of her grandfather. It had been all she could do to avoid the lustful advances or the ruthlessly painful torture sessions, but now that she had an ally to join, she felt that she could easily escape those that had hurt, humiliated and otherwise robbed her of the time she wished to spend with her ailing grandfather. Her chest swelling with pride over never revealing where her grandfather was to these people, she now wanted nothing more than to see the daylight and go far away from this place - to go back to her home and her grandfather.

But above all else, she followed after him out of the longing to keep this feeling that was growing inside of her; the feeling of having someone to believe in. "Okay!" she cheered, displacing herself from the gloomy, musky atmosphere of Oberon's lair. For this feeling, she would follow him freely, ignoring all doubt and hesitation. This feeling made her feel strong and capable, as if his strength leaked into her.

She didn't want to give that up for anything.


	6. Flight of Dragons

**Chapter Six – Flight of Dragons**

Kage and the young captive Zhi were making excellent progress in their brazen attempt to force their way out of the belly of the temple, for none of the guards could stop them and no sign or sound had been taken of the resident aliens. As they had proceeded out of the area that had been sensitive to Oberon's cause, there was no longer the procession of flashing lights to weary them, but rather the deceptive white glow radiating from the endless mirroring metal of the main areas, areas that Kage had become familiar with at his introduction. Although the lair had become a hive of activity due to their escape, encounters were becoming more and more infrequent, though this did little to quell the growing concern in Kage's mind. Inwardly, we wondered why this young girl had been regarded as the key to Oberon's success.

Currently, as he sat on the back of a dazed, bulky guard, those matters that had weighed heavily on him were set aside, demoted from his attention as something far more interesting played on before him. Zhi was fighting. True, it was still a sloppy slandering of whatever art form she was trained in, but he watched as each passing moment led to the full realization of her abilities and, as he would undoubtedly enjoy, the full capability of this girl he had rescued. His cheek laid heavily on his fist, his Ryuugan eyes lazily half open but none the less for attention, Kage wore a small smile at the sight, for nothing was as agreeable as the seeing the satisfaction on another's face when the joy of revenge swept them away. Kage was an advocate of revenge. Without a doubt, his own had nearly destroyed him, but this small dose seemed rather healthy for her, for every bone-crushing kick granted a new breath of life into her, making her seem closer and closer to the person she was before. Although, by her very nature she appeared to be a gentle soul, he could tell that this was venting very dangerous emotions that would threaten to turn into the same hardened creature that he had become.

He didn't wish that upon anyone.

Kage casually punched his temporary seat in the head once more to quell him, then continued to observe. It was so bothersome when his furniture protested. Yet another thing that became obvious to him was that, although her ability to elude the Ryuugan was scandalous, there was something else decidedly bizarre about Zhi. He had noticed it before when she had attacked him, more specifically when he had kicked her in return. It struck him as odd before, but now he was becoming more aware of it. The way she moved about her opponent, or opponents in this case, was shocking, for it wasn't as much the strategy in which she moved, but the movements themselves. Even for a girl as slim as she was, it was not possible for her to behave the way she did. To be nimble as a fighter was certainly admirable and something to be considered, but the way Zhi moved was a place far beyond nimble. Her movements were inhuman. The way she leapt about, perched one moment on the head of her enemy and the next raking two others with her feet – it was a feat beyond mere men. It was certainly possible, if not highly likely, that Zhi possessed an ability that set her apart from the gray masses of fighters that she was currently sweeping aside with grace, fire and brilliance. That intrigued him.

"Damn, you're annoying!" he snarled to himself, once more punching the huge guard in the helmet, causing the tremors pulsing through the perch to become simple stirrings once more. The massive, oafish man was lucky Kage hadn't done worse to him, though certainly casually lounging on the body of a beaten adversary was no great honor for any fighter. Still, Kage had his flair, and he wanted a good seat to watch his new companion fight.

By the time he had turned his attention back, Zhi was standing in front of him with a heaving chest, her sore fists clenched at her sides and her eyes locked on the cool demeanor of her supposed savior. "One guard! You took only one guard and left me to fight the rest!" she yelled and considered adding one more body to her little monument. She was well-aware of how well he could fight, and the fact that she had beaten so many guards when he had beaten her proved that the only explanation was that he was too lazy to participate. That riled her up. She wanted to smack him.

"Oh?" he said lightly, looking about at all of the guards that lay strewn about the hallway, "It looks like you took care of it well enough. Besides, this fella was the biggest one." At the end of his statement, he gave the huge guard a shuddering slap across the buttocks and stood up, towering over the fuming Zhi and smiling his great, Cheshire grin. "I wanted to see how you do in a fight. I ain't gonna drag your ass out of here. But, since you did so well, I guess it won't be too hard, eh?" he said, and in a moment of tenderness that reigned singular for his nature, he set his gloved hand on her head thoughtfully, tousling her hair gently as a matter of well-deserved praise.

Zhi felt her anger subsiding a bit, mostly because it was something very unexpected for him to be this candid when they had just met, or even in the manner of it. The way he effortlessly perplexed her in his duality sent frustration through her core, but once more she was attacked by the drizzling warm feeling in her chest at his proximity. His hand, although covered by his glove and marred by years of ruthless assault, was big and comforting, even as her body was still quivering from the lash and chain that had bound her to this dismal place. It was even more infuriating that she was feeling this way, when all logic and expectations demanded that she be cold and careful in the wake of her recent captivity, yet reality tended to stray as far from logic as possible. Loneliness was loneliness by definition.

Feeling the warm spreading to her cheeks and knowing that his hidden eyes were looking at her, she knocked his hand away half-heartedly and protested his arrogant behavior. "Don't treat me like a kid! I'm not a little girl, you know!" she said, mostly in reaction to the chaos that stirred inside of her.

"Oh, I know. You're a little brat," he said casually and retained his great smile, mostly because he saw that tender blush on her cheeks turn into a flush of fury consuming her entire face. It was Kage's affectionate way of interacting with people, as ridiculous as it seemed, but it was affection nonetheless. It was a defense tactic that resonated throughout the centuries; never allowing one moment of clarity in hopes that anyone so victimized by their reactions would have no time to think – no time to moderate. Kage pushed people away even as he pulled them close, causing whiplash in the weaker hearts and resignation in the insincere. It was movement that didn't allow honesty, but it was the only way Kage knew how to act. Even without thinking about it, Zhi was seeking his acceptance and, certainly without thinking about it, Kage was keeping her away. That was a habit that lingered with him, but the past had brightened and he was almost ready to be human again. If it hadn't been for a sudden shadow appearing in his sunglasses, the scene may have progressed.

Zhi found it rather surprising how fast her position had changed. Only an instant before, she had been ready to slug him again for teasing her, yet now she was clutched tightly to his side, her weight slipped out from under her and resting solidly in his protecting arm. Her fingers instinctively gripped at his shirt, her eyes opened slowly to reveal the look on his face that was at the opposite side of the spectrum of his Cheshire grin. Even at this angle, she could not see past the rim of his glasses to his elusive eyes and minutely craned her neck to try, but with the sound of screeching metal filling the air like the hollow shrieks of some lost soul in wandering, her head instead turned quickly to see what had caused him to hold her so. Three rifts of jagged metal tore down the wall, forever distorting the flawless sea of reflective metal and, for the first time, noticeably marring the endless progression of mirroring surfaces. A great and lumbering creature was slowly turning, pulling three great metal claws from the rifts in the wall and facing the two without a sound or concern, if only that they escaped the first strike and now required a second. The bizarre and inanimate mask regarded them, though only great holes of blackness cared to look upon them. As if some curious animal trying to contemplate its prey, the goonish creature canted and turned its head about, like a kitten pursuing a string, and clicked its long, devilish claws on the ground as a sign of apprehension. Due to Kage's quick movements, they had eluded the fatal blow. Now the creature would have to strike again.

"How much do you weigh?" Kage asked with some incredulity. The entire peril instantly faded and Zhi clenched her fists, breathless at whatever existed in Kage where tact was supposed to be. Having her in the position he did, his suspicions had been proven and he was now keen on the reason why. He wanted to know, but Zhi's trembling body signaled that his inquiry was not a wise one.

Making a fatal error when it came to the fairer sex, he now suffered a blow from Zhi's trembling fist and was forced to let her stand of her own accord, stumbling a bit to the side and cradling his rocked jaw, eyes and lips parted in shock. "Ow! What the hell was that for!" he roared. Although she was leering at him greatly, he could tell that she was embarrassed about that subject and that his folly was in his asking, as if it were the most indecent thing to ask a girl. Zhi simply seethed at him, still trying to accept his offensiveness while feeling her mind reeling with a thousand thoughts and considerations brought on in a girl by the mere suggestion of displacement.

Before they could proceed further, another slashing claw came down right between them, forcing them to leap in opposite directions to avoid another killing blow. It seemed the goonish creature would allow no allowance of tangent, for it came in the most unnatural times and in an unnatural rhythm, which tweaked Kage's annoyance.

After landing from his escape vector, he regarded the creature fully and dismissed his playtime with Zhi for the moment. "You're gonna tell me about it after we bury this thing," he ordered, pulling his glove tight and letting it reign freely as a reflection in his glasses. Zhi only frowned, not wanting to discuss it further and took the opportunity to look the creature over as a way of deflection.

Its burlap metal skin, long rakish arms and bizarre mask all cemented the fact that it wasn't human, and that was enough to genuinely disturb her beyond the convenience, and she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to fight against something with such dangerous merits. "What is it?" she asked, settling into her fighting stance as it tried to determine a course between the two targets.

Kage frowned as well, not quite sure how to explain the extraordinary to a girl that was just barely recovering from a prolonged distilment. This situation also presented a new and bitter realization for Kage, one that had been a fundamental reason for his leaving Tokyo in the first place. While he had no doubt that he could effortlessly subdue the creature in style, a sideward glance to Zhi reminded him that he was no longer merely looking after himself and that blatantly whipping his new powers around would be the fastest way to seeing another victim. The chilling sweat running down her slender throat, the reflective pensiveness in her eyes and the unnatural rhythm of her breathing reminded him that his actions were no longer without consequence, reminded him that there were those that depended on him and even looked to him for protection and affection. In this paling moment of rediscovery, he felt that sickening feeling washing over him again. It was the mind-killer. It was the soul-killer. It was the one thing that everyone felt at a point in their life when the future promised absence and the suffering it brought.

Kage was afraid. It wasn't the kind of fear that one felt when their own mortality was pressed, nor was it the kind when pride became threatened. This was not the same fear that Zhi was feeling. This was the chilling helplessness accompanying the prospect of losing someone that meant something, to lose something precious. He hadn't known Zhi for more than thirty minutes, but it was the personification of Zhi that struck him. Zhi was his new self. She was the resolve he had attained in order to find himself again, to claw his way back from the depths of insanity, inch by inch, until he was able to stand on his own again. She was the first rung he had grasped on his own, taking his weight off that last and final anchor which held him desperately aloft. If he were to lose his grip now, he could very well plummet through his final lifeline and tear everything down with him into oblivion. He couldn't let himself lose this new feeling so easily. He had to preserve it, even if it meant denting his great pride and dignity.

Further propelling this was the fact that many more figures had appeared behind Zhi, though she hadn't quite noticed them yet, which was probably better in Kage's mind. Finally, the singular thought of saving Zhi permeated his chaotic mind and he resolved to hold tightly to this first delve back into humanity, to preserve the first free beating of his heart. "Move!" he yelled abruptly and promptly kicked the creature between them with no flair. As it had been busy trying to decide which figure to attack first, the creature was instantly sent sprawling towards Zhi in a fit, its extremities flailing about in the tumble and nearly clipping the surprised girl as she dodged. The crash and tumble of the creature into the appearing others made a horrific sound, yet Zhi had no time to look. Kage had already grabbed her arm and pulled her painfully in the other direction, running at full sprint so that the short legs of the girl had to work twice as hard.

The move had jarred her, if only for the fact that she had judged Kage as someone that never backed down from a fight, someone that was as reliant on his pride as he was the air he breathed. But he was now fleeing, pulling her along with a silent determination that made her wonder what was going through his mind. Once more, his unpredictable nature whipped up her thoughts about him. "Wait a sec! Why the hurry?" she hollered after him, but for a moment he was content on simply leading her out of here in the fastest way possible. Even if he succeeded in getting her safely from the clutches of Oberon, then never saw her again, he would be satisfied that a human heart still beat within his chest. But even his minimum requirement suddenly became very questionable as he and the young girl came barreling to a halt in the main hall, the one that Kage remembered to have the large stone doors that would offer them escape.

However, as five figures stood motionless between them and the doors, Kage felt his neck trickling with anger and disgust at their bad luck. Instantly, his eyes were on Oberon, the Ryuugan focused intently on the greatest threat and constantly weighing the odds of his victory.

Unconsciously, he was holding Zhi's hand even tighter, though she hardly noticed. Instead, she was breathless as she stared at the five figures that were familiar to her, yet completely different this time around. They were all deformed images of themselves and blatantly odd, as if their entire beings had changed from those five menacing suits that had come to her village and wiped it aside. They had gone from greedy gangsters to infallible aliens by simply showing their true form. It was a lot to take in. "What…what is this?" she stumbled and, also unconsciously, held to Kage for protection and reality.

Oberon had lost his good humor when it came to dealing with this human and, in light of discovering the truth about the images, was purely intent on using Kage as a source of much desired information about his enemies. Everything was becoming much clearer now and he looked upon Kage with a new sense of lust and satisfaction. "Can you imagine my surprise, my boy, when one of those interesting new figures I spoke of…was you? Is there really any greater humor in the Universe? I had hoped to persuade you to fight for me, for you are a dark and vicious creature, Yamamori Kage," he said with a underlying grin and showed his fangs and amusement at the expression on the human's face, "But now you serve a far more valuable purpose as someone who will tell me about these Sailor senshi." That thought alone made him grin wickedly, barely able to keep himself from imagining what the boy could reveal to him about his foe. This was all becoming so easy that he nearly forgot the girl behind him, or the reason he had kept her for so long in that cell. "And I see you have found our little princess as well. How splendid. If I am able to get the information from you that I hope, I should not even need the use of the Dracos Speculum – at least, not yet," he continued, looking to them both with a sense of satisfaction that rippled through the others.

Andromeda had been looking upon Kage with sad eyes, almost regretting the fate that awaited the young man. The others were seemingly amused, but it was Flute, the colossus that had time and time again been chided by the human that stepped forward, not taking his eyes from the two unfortunate humans but speaking high tones and endearment to his leader. "Please, Commander, let me subdue the human for you. It would be my utmost pleasure," he said with a snarling tone, obviously eager to pay back the human a bit for the insolence.

Oberon was expecting it, and he really saw no harm in letting the general have a little appeasement. The humans could not escape and certainly Flute knew neither was to be permanently damaged. With a consenting nod, Oberon watched as Flute leapt in a surprising show of fleetness, landing with a heavy thud before Kage and Zhi that shook the ground and nearly toppled them both. While Flute seemed extremely pleased to be able to finally unleash his fury on the human, Kage was more or less annoyed at the deferment and kept his eyes on Oberon. Flute was powerful, but had this been a singular encounter for them, there would be no concern. However, with Oberon and his insanely powerful aura in the stands, Kage was cursing his chances.

"I know you," came a voice from behind Kage, making his skin chill and hand grip at empty air. He knew that tone, for he had heard it on his own voice countless times before. It was blind hatred, the kind that only came when someone truly vile was in sight of the one injured. Kage spoke in layered tones of it when he had finally confronted Senso, and even foamed at the mouth with it when he had finally found the two Legendary Scion and felt the chill of his revenge run like liquid metal down his spine. Hearing it come from Zhi was unnerving, yet he had no time to even turn and stop her. She was already rushing past him in a fit of fury, her hands clenched to the point of breaking and her voice howling. No senses prevailed. The only thing clinging to the red haze in her mind was the memories of a fallen friend, the destruction of her village and the particular part in the tragedy that the colossus played so gleefully. In that rage, Zhi flung herself at the grinning, waiting General Flute.


	7. Proud General Flute

**Chapter Seven – Proud General Flute**

Many years ago, when the reality of existence had not yet reached the tranquil mountainside village of Dajing, Zhi spent her days in atypical fashion of the country life in China. Although not claiming any sort of intrinsic value to the government and not striving to modernize like many of the surrounding areas had, Dajing had a long and rich history of the arts, for many great men and women lived in the quaint locale and strove not to exceed their own boundaries of want or need. With simple yet sturdy houses, a clear-flowing river coming down out of the distant Mt. Jinhua and favorable, fertile soil that supplied the much needed rice and vegetables, the village had the makings of a picturesque paradise that was as beautiful as it was practical, untouched by the development of the new age. The men and women of the village provided and were provided for, spending their days in the ways of learning, calligraphy, art and history, luxuries upheld year after year by the hardworking peasant that sought balance in toil and thought. The village had existed since the Ming Dynasty.

Many martial arts existed in Dajing. Some were very traditional, while others were known only to exist in the souls of those few that bore them. In all cases, the villagers were well renowned as being the stewards of the martial arts and some of the finest warriors in the region. These noble arts, so often regarded as simple fighting styles, were actually the ways in which the villagers endured a changing world, maintaining the balance needed to keep Dajing, and themselves, as beautiful as it ever had been.

Yet, there was also a great need for a balance with that changing world as well. For this reason, a single boy had been chosen to serve as emissary to the rest of the country and this boy happened to be one of the few children that Zhi remembered growing up with. His name was Xue. Although she had only been allowed to see him rarely, Zhi had been close to Xue from the moment they had met. They had gone swimming in the hot and musty summers, letting the placid waters of the river soothe their sweating bodies. They had often gone running through the muddy rice patties, being hollered at and chased by the workers but only to their own delight. They had done as children do. Their lives had been carefree and full of joy, mostly due to their esteemed guardians that set them apart from the rest of the villagers.

Zhi's grandfather was a sort of mystic among the people, even among the other masters. His martial art was a great unknown, and he taught no pupils, as well as anyone could remember. It was a very strange thing. Yet, even the elders of the village seemed to remember the old man as being old when they were children, so a sort of lore was born of his existence. No one knew exactly how old he was, and as such the villagers regarded him highly as one of the Immortals passing time upon the land. Zhi's parents had both died when she was young and having no siblings, Zhi was a sort of golden child, allowed to do almost anything she chose to and suffering only the consequences brought onto her by her grandfather. Thus, she had grown up not knowing suffering as many do, and this tended to make her heart warm and fresh like a summer drench. She never spoiled, but rather used her time and freedom to cosset her heart and study all of the beauty in the world, as handed down by her vigilant grandfather.

Xue was also a privileged child. His family line had been the magistrates for the village, providing guidance and enlightenment in matters of everything from the rice harvest to the dealings with government officials. His family was proud and large, and the stewards of a long and prestigious martial art that was highly regarded even among the most well-known masters. Xue had grown up knowing that he would inherit this lineage, but never thought it would have torn him away from his childhood playmate so early in their lives.

They had only been children when the time came to set Xue in his destiny. He was two years older than Zhi, and precisely the moment he had become eight years old, they had taken him. His life from that moment on was one of dedication, duty and education. He studied every day in the main village complex and was never allowed to deviate from his rigorous schedule of classes, training and practice. It was decided that Xue would be sent off to a university and educated, then to return and provide a much-needed link with the new world. The elders had decided this after sensing the encroaching progress of the government. They decided to use one of their own to best fulfill the needs of the village and preserve their balance. All of this was laid upon Xue and expected that he succeed.

Fortunately, Xue was as brilliant as everyone had hoped. People often referred to him as a genius and he was quickly becoming the pride of the village. In all things, he was exceptional and excelled in anything that was placed before him. He was the brightest student. He was the heir to a revered martial art. He was the best that his people had to offer.

Zhi had often stared in longing at the complex, hoping to see a glimpse of her friend so many years gone and hoping that he still remembered her. After Xue, Zhi had never had another close friend. So her thoughts were always on him, progressing just as the years did.

In one spring, when she had grown up quite a bit and was now considered a young woman, she had seen a glimpse of him when he was allowed to leave the complex to assess the village. From afar, she almost didn't recognize him, but as he neared, she had been surprised. He had grown rather tall and had strong features, as much from his lineage as his training, and he truly had become the pride of the village. Everything about him was as the villagers said, from his grand mind to his grand body and soul. Although she had waited so long to see him, she could not go any further than the tree she had held to for protection, her eyes searching every part of him for a glimpse of the boy she had grown up with. Several old ladies of the village had been nearby and, upon seeing her watching, began to hint at the rumors of proposed marriage, of the pride of the village to the only granddaughter of the mysterious mystic elder. This idea frightened her, for she had never thought of him as anything other than her childhood friend and could hardly consider him otherwise. She ran home to her grandfather, hoping to hear the matter from him only, and waited for his response. There was none. Her grandfather had simply let the matter remain unresolved and left it to linger there until the fateful day when Oberon and his forces came to the village.

It was on that day, when her village had been torn to pieces by these men and women in dark suits and her village's masters were beaten all around her, that her eyes had fallen upon the colossus known as Flute. Although she desperately searched out for her grandfather, it was Xue that she found first, facing the grand colossus among the carnage and swearing that he would see the days filled with hope long after the huge man was defeated. As if to bring a self-revelation to his prophecy, and a forcible silence to the colossus's arrogant laughter, Xue had focused all of his honor, training and duty into a courageous moment and ran headlong at the beastly man, not at all aware that the screaming of his childhood friend was ringing amid the horrors, but falling silent on his valiant ears.

These images, although filled with years of memory and the intensity of the heart, were only a flash in the mind of Zhi, for the only thing she could see now was this variant of the colossus that had struck down her friend and the same smug smile that he bore. She could still remember it clearly. The valiant effort of Xue, the skill with which he fought and the single, earth-shaking blow that had sent him sprawling into the river, never to be seen again. The colossus's demonstrated power was nothing she could remember, for all she wanted was to avenge Xue. There was no gentleness in her heart, no childish demeanor that had impressed itself upon Kage only moments before. Zhi had rushed headlong just as Xue had, intending this time to topple the colossus and restore her village's honor in heart, mind and soul.

"What are you doing!" came the frantic call from behind her, but she already knew that Kage could not stop her in this moment of revenge. Even if Xue had been defeated, Zhi was certain that she could defeat this lumbering beast, if only because her heart told her so. It didn't matter that this was a warped, metallic version of the beast that had defeated Xue. To avenge him, and everyone in the village, she would beat Flute. She would do this before the eyes of the one that had saved her, for she wanted to prove herself to him more than she would even admit to herself. If she could help their escape by just this much, then she felt she wasn't such a burden to him. She could prolong the feeling that was taking her.

Flute had been eager to get to Kage as soon as he could, so the girl that Oberon had been so intent on keeping was nothing more than a trifle for him. The arrogance of his stature left him looming before her and grinning that same smug grin she had remembered, thought he had no specific recollection of just why she was being so enthusiastic to meet her end. "You're in the way!" he howled, rearing back a great fist and sending it towards her, the same great mass that had brushed aside her childhood friend months before.

However, this time the fist did not strike quarry, but instead dipped slightly at the added weight of the agile girl swinging up around his forearm and raking a foot across his face. It was such a shock that Flute stumbled back, his reaction more surprise than injury. Once more, Zhi had shown this intriguing ability to move gracefully about an opponent in ways that Kage had never seen before. But she wasn't done yet. Although she was appalled by how sturdy the colossus was, she was instantly moving again around the towering form of Flute, hovering in the air in front of him just long enough to show her intense loathing for him before clapping her feet together at his ears, jarring his head once more, and then landing lightly at his feet in form to attack once again. It went on like this, Zhi making Flute out to be some lumbering oaf unable to swat a noisy fly, but it was obvious that her attacks, no matter how well-placed or passionate, were having little effect on the general.

"Annoying pest!" came a howling rage at last and one of Flute's massive hands swatted Zhi from the air and sent her crashing down on the ground in a heap. As expected of his massive size, his strikes were fierce and powerful and Zhi could barely keep her breath, heaving heavily on the ground as she barely managed to roll over to look up at him. "Begone, putrid human," Flute sneered and reared up one of his great boots, leering happily at her impending fate. With great pleasure, Flute unceremoniously stomped his foot down on the rattled girl, hoping to feel the crush of a human to his eternal pleasure. Instead, what he found was a jarring halt to his foot and a struggling quiver at his sole.

Zhi had caught his foot with both hands, her back bending and warping the floor under his strain, all the while using what energy she had left to keep from buckling under the force. The strength she displayed was, in itself, something that caught notice from every eye that was watching, though her losing struggle was quickly dulling that shock. Inwardly, she lamented the fact that she was unable to beat him, but also kicked herself for attacking out of anger, so that her movements were saggy and weak. Not a single moment was given to wonder where her savior had gone, but rather she was glad that he had not come to help her again, to prove that she really was just a burden and perhaps not worth saving. Still, a small part of her, in its beating consistency, longed for him to appear once more and lift her that extra step.

Both Zhi and Flute were jolted by the appearance between them, for Kage's impish grin and flowing motion were both items of great consideration. Flute, standing off-balance due to his crushing assault on Zhi, was unable to react in any manner, save his widening eyes and opening mouth, harboring a great expletive for this brash human. Kage's body whirled and brought his foot in contact at the precise center of Flute's breastplate, the armor resounding through the chamber in a metallic ping that seemed to live as a creature within the reflective walls. Despite his great size, Flute came off the ground, his weight in chaos, and was thrown a good distance back from Zhi, coming down in a great clamor upon his back. Although the initial shock was great, he leaned up slowly and placed his hand over the breastplate, somehow shocked that he could hate the smug human even more than before. To his great horror, meandering cracks spread out from the point of impact in his breastplate, making the insult far more infuriating than the injury. He would have been shocked had he not been in such a rage. Flute was simply scarlet in anger.

Kage came to a spinning stop on his feet, facing Flute with the same grin that had proven itself so aggravating to the general. Although Zhi still lay wheezing on the ground at his feet, Kage never took his eyes from Flute and proceeded to adjust his sunglasses as he always did, in a manner most insulting. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt but I never was good at just watching a fight. As amusing as it was to see this paper-thin girl whooping your giant metal ass, ain't I the one you wanted to stomp into the ground?" he called gingerly, silently favoring the foot that had struck Flute and the pulsing pain that had stuttered him. As cocky as he was, he still felt the laws of physics. Flute's armor was hard. Very hard. He could understand why most people would have such a hard time fighting him. Still, he would not show the effect of the kick and, in only moments after he had settled his weight back on it, the shocked ankle forgotten and his mind quickly focusing back onto the matter at hand.

No matter how much fun he would have adjusting Flute's attitude towards him, Kage's eyes still strayed wearily to the stolid figure of Oberon, as if expecting some kind of new break in the indomitable aura that swirled about him. Kage cursed silently as he considered the fight with him, but was forced to quickly look back to Flute as he rose. "Ah, finished your break? I can understand you'd need one after she gave you such a workout," he called through his impish grin, almost tasting the pleasure of seeing Flute seething at him. Without a doubt, Kage enjoyed being the subject of people's fiercest emotions. The mediocre was boring. He wanted fire and ice; love and hate. He didn't pay any attention to the injured girl at his feet. He didn't need to. She was far more resilient than he had ever imagined.

Flute was almost boiling over with rage, seeing as this human had consistently made a fool of him in front of Oberon. Now, after cracking his great and precious armor, his huge, muscular hands now wanted nothing more than to crush the life from the insolent human that still mocked him openly. Pounding a fist across his injured breastplate, Flute roared in a commanding voice and let all things to the wind. This would be a fight he would bring to an end with his limitless strength! "You will never have such an opportunity again! I will turn my power on you and you will be ground into the very dirt of this worthless planet. You will feel the wrath of General Flute!" he roared, almost as if presenting a ceremony to the spectators and eluding to the fate of the human.

Kage shrugged. Ones who spoke their own names constantly bit their tongues too often. It was time to end the game with the colossus. With a taunting hand gesture, Kage welcomed the furious lunge of General Flute.

* * *

The distance of two moons was touched lavender by the waning light, as if the entire sky had been constructed of a silky drape that was slowly working its way into blackness as night fell across the serene horizon of Avalon. True to its alien realm, the two companions to the sky were distanced apart, but both causing sparkles and inversions of light and pressure in the atmosphere that made the twilight sky move as if it were alive, a phenomenon called the Calypsus Tide, named so in the belief that it was the largest and most prominent of the moons, Calypso, that caused such events. These firework-like expulsions set the city in every night, and few other places in the galaxy boasted such opulence for their people. Yet even as an exotic sky was falling across the glowing alloys of the impressive capital city, the shades of night had already crept upon the inhabitants and were secretly biding their moments until the fullness of their depth could be seen.

The darkness of the room had covered everything, leaving only the bland circle of light that orbited the colossus as he knelt. It was an odd thing, to be called to the royal chambers at such a time and to be admitted with no announcement or escort. Truly, everything about the summons was bizarre, but the proud general was not of the consciousness to question such things, but rather remain motionless in the light, waiting for the purpose to such an unorthodox calling.

"I hope I haven't disturbed you. It was imperative that you come," said a voice from the darkness, a voice that needed no moment of recognition for the general.

There was no scale to measure his surprise, for hearing the aloft voice had shaking his steel nerves and made the general seriously doubt that he heard the voice right, to believe it was who he thought it was. Such a thing was shocking of. Yet, Flute remained the pastel soldier he was known to be. Flute's head remained hung forward, his fist sternly to the ground as he paid the proper respects to the voice of this midnight caller. "Your Majesty," he said as he greatly sculpted each word for tone and phrasing, "there is not a moment in time that you would inconvenience me by your summons." The reply was a soft chuckle, then a terribly long silence that felt thicker than the darkness that surrounded Flute. Though his eyes were cast down, he knew that he could not see the voice, for it was not his place to acknowledge the presence of the speaker and the hand over his destiny. However, even as Flute was such a dedicated soldier, he was curious as to the mood of the affair and shifted slightly, though never raising his eyes. "What is it that your Majesty wishes of me?" he asked to break the jaws of the darkness.

The silenced lingered a moment longer, then was finally broken. "Only a great fool would question the loyalty of our devoted General Flute. Avalon's very welfare relies upon your great strength to uphold it," the voice called in curious monotones. However, Flute was not able to hear it. Only the great swelling of his chest touched his senses and the colossus voiced his gratitude over such praise. The voice, seemingly unfazed by the thanks, continued. "However, there are those that are not as steadfast as you, my dear general. Truly, I sometimes wonder if the rest of our great military is as devoted as you to the greater glory of Avalon."

Flute now was silenced, even from the whispering praises in his ears. To hear such a thing was scandalous, but the source proved to be more than mere hearsay. To the general's knowledge, there was not one officer that would falter in the true test of loyalty to Avalon, nor was there be any doubt in his mind that each one of his comrades would perform equally faithful. However, he could not simply dismiss it. This was coming from the sky. He had to heed the warning. "Your Majesty, what is it that vexes you? What manner of scum could possibly trouble the brow of our beloved Pri…"

"Do you know of my plans to send Commander Oberon to the planet where the Golden Queen met her equal? No, that is not correct. Met her superior," the voice said, suddenly sharp and causing the general to look up slightly. A hazy outline was visible in the darkness, but fully unable to form by the pale light. It lingered, wavering in and out of the colossus's ability to discern if it was really there, like a distant thought that came and went the more one tried to remember it. Flute stared, but only as long as it took to grasp the words fully. Its meaning was lost, then found in the striking truth that he had adjusted to the dimness and was no longer in a room of light and dark. He was in a room of shades, finding his own to be impossible to name or even distinguish.

"I do, your Majesty," he replied.

The darkness seemed glad, then seemed to settle further as the colossal general shivered on his knee. "Then, I shall tell you what you must do," the voice said.

* * *

The spectacular climax between Kage and Flute was nothing expected. It had progressed a span of a dozen minutes, with a parade across the pools of reflections in a blur of force and motion, and while Kage was beginning to feel a burn in his body and the strain of battling such a titan, it was Flute that was infinitely more astonished at the abilities of this reviled, but extraordinary human. The colossus was seething, his hands clenched tight and his brown fallen forward in intimate disregard for Kage's existence. How badly he wanted to grind him into dust, yet he found himself equally matched with the human, as if such a thing was possible. Every swing, strike or grab was brushed aside. This was something beyond maddening to him, for his immense strength was something that he had always promoted, and there was not but a few within the entire Imperial Forces that could best him, yet this human seemed able to predict his movements so accurately that he seemed to be only hindered by his physical body, forced to contend with the physical limitations born into his species. Yet he was proficient enough to have lasted so long without as much as a scratch. For such a show to have unfolded before Oberon was the general's bane, and every moment became more desperate for him to end the embarrassment that was slowly pulling away his regimented guise.

"You can't elude me forever, scum! I will scrap your entrails from my boots using your bones!" he called, his muscular body rippling under his armor for a chance to crush the human.

Kage retained his great smile, enjoying the fact that Flute was so riled up over him. Even as Zhi had barely been able to pull herself up to a somewhat sitting position, she had gained no attention from him. In fact, Flute wasn't even granted the main course of his thoughts, for that honor was given to the looming figure of Oberon and the aftermath of the inevitable defeat of the colossus. Inwardly, he was cursing. Flute was nothing but an exhibition, but he still gauged his chances against Oberon as very low. He was able to toy with Flute as a matter of scale, but he knew no amount of confidence could counterbalance the sheer might of that aura. Although his actually chances were vague, he had a pretty good idea of how quickly Oberon's power would swallow him. So he bought himself time with Flute, toying with the good general and trying to think of a good way to get Zhi out of there. Then, at least, the price for failure was only his own death.

Again, the feeling eroded him. It was the same feeling that had sent him away from Tokyo, from his friends and lover. Before, he had no fear of dying. In fact, he had sought it out as a way to be united with his lost sister once more, yet now was a different story. His heart beat for someone, and she had been through far too much pain and suffering on his account for him to simply die and disappear.

Tears would stain her cheeks. Her lips would quiver in pain. That heart which so graciously held him fast, would cease to love again.

This was his fear – the fear born from love. He had never felt it before, this feeling of stinging someone beyond the grave, and it wrenched his soul to pieces to think of hurting that girl again. It made him feel weak, pathetic and gross. This fighter's heart was tainted, and as such, felt like less of a force when he relied upon it to drive his will upon his enemy. And in that moment, he returned to the time when he had conquered his madness, if only by a ledge's margin, to question himself over and over again about the existence of his Ryuugan and the legitimacy of his pull on the powerful soldier of the lord of all planets.

Kage spit to the side, losing his grin and ending his mind's toil with the thought of a good, old-fashioned brawl. "If you had half as much strength as you do hot air, this might actually have been a fight," he said. Flute roared once more, then lunged headlong in an eager rush to end his frustrations. As a change of pace, Kage also rushed headlong in, but only because fighting denied thinking, and he no longer wanted to think his thoughts. He just wanted to deal and feel pain, to enjoy the simplicity of a fight.

However, something happened to him that was most unexpected, and most inconvenient to his efforts to defeat the colossus. It had happened a few times before, but never during a fight. Suddenly, Kage's Ryuugan were burning behind his sunglasses and his body erupted into a painful contraction like every muscle was being torn from his bones. There was no way he could describe it; in retrospect he had tried and failed, for he never experienced this kind of pain before, and he was very well versed in the doctrine of pain. It was such a sharp and blinding pain that he audibly groaned, halfway through his charge at Flute, and stumbled slightly, tucking his arms tightly against his body as if it would fly apart unless he held it together. Even more fantastic than the pain was what he saw through his burning Ryuugan: the past was full of images of a palace far away from Earth and the foul intent of a darkly shrouded figure there; yet the future was nothing but a meadow out in ipen skies and a single figure waving him to come closer amid the carelessly waving flowers that had been there all their lives. The visions flashed like lightning, burning and intermittent, and he had trouble remembering what was real and what was delusion. And then, it all stopped.

However, it was already too late and Flute came down on him long before he was able to recover from the paralyzing effects of the visions. A great and massive fist buckled his defenses and sent a throbbing pain through Kage's head, a pain that was only rivaled by the impact of his back against the hard metal wall behind him. Making a concave indention in the metal behind, Kage fell to the floor with a wheezing cough, though whether from Flute's score or the vision before, he could hardly tell.

"It seems your evasiveness has finally run out, worm. Where is your smug grin now?" Flute called with a great, embellished smile. That one strike had been more than enough to please him and now he thirsted for more.

Zhi was unable to call out for him, since her strength had still not returned from her own battle with Flute, but her eyes were wide with worry as Kage's form struggle on his knees. Inwardly, she cursed herself for rushing into the fight and being incapacitated so early, as she was now unable to offer any assistance to the person that had shown her kindness unknown. Although she desperately tried to stand and return his favor, her body would not allow it, taunting her that all forces experience limitations, even when told to the contrary.

All the while Flute was patting himself on the back for the dismal victory, Kage was doubled over, staring at his own hunched reflection in the floor. A great crack existed through his face and his eyesight was blurry, which startled him at first but soon gave away as the truth came to him. He had seen it. At first, he was confused as to why, but now he was sure of it. The throbbing in his head was an itch compared to the new sense of confidence in him, and the human defiant slowly rose to his feet before the gloating general. At first, Flute was a bit surprised, slightly annoyed but still very pleased with himself. Then, he saw the effect his strike had impressed on the human and his demeanor changed.

Now, he stepped back and started, his eyes as wide as stars, and his voice caught in his throat. Zhi had seen it also. Oberon as well. In fact, all those present in the great hall stood fast, staring at the boy in silence.

The elastic band snapped around Kage's head. The great crack in his vision fell away as the dark lens was removed. The sunglasses made a plastic thud as they hit the ground at his feet, the lens breaking a bit more at the impact of the pane and their protection was sloughed away. But all eyes were on Kage, the flaring energy erupting in his Ryuugan so spectacular that none dared to look away, in fear that a moment's lapse would somehow rob them of this understanding that the human, with his furious eyes and potent growl, was truly something dangerous and wild. They would waver and breathe, but never look away.

And his eyes were upon them.


	8. Matches in a House Fire

**Chapter Eight – Matches in a House Fire**

The words were ringing in Oberon's head, crashing hard like waves against the rock-solid resolve that he had sworn for his beloved Imperial Forces and the royal house of Avalon. They came each time he watched a strike delivered, or when the reeling figure of his general was being tossed about like a loose parcel in a rocking boat. Even though he had been watching this battle, the upset situation in which the colossus Flute was being maimed by the human with the distinctly inhuman eyes, his mind was dwelling harshly on the words that had been spoken to him by Kibitzer, the Prince's closest advisor and personal mentor. They still burned in his ears and forced him to remain stayed while one of his own, a loyal and trusted member of his command, was being dominated by this surprisingly powerful human. While it was well within his power to stop the fight, he knew, more than anyone, that such a thing was impossible, for Flute himself would have suffered and his pride would have never recovered. And, regardless of how painful it was to watch, the words would not allow him to interfere.

"_On Earth, in the shadows of the great Silver light, the Dracos Speculum rests. The one who makes use of it will know the past, be the present and control the future. They will possess a power that cannot be judged by common thought. But beware, great commander, that an Earth dragon guards the Speculum. A careless moment will find you in the eyes of this dragon, and you will suffer the power of the Speculum. Not even you can escape the power of the Dracos Speculum. Find it, and you may save our Queen."_

The prospect had merit. It was seductive enough to rationalize sending the High Commander of the entire Avalon forces to this small planet and to face the power that had defied the Golden Queen, yet it was so elusive that Oberon had only one lead to its location, and that was the young girl named Zhi. Her grandfather was connected with the Speculum and was the surest way to gain that power.

Yet now, another had appeared. He was jaded and rough, but was powerful enough to effortlessly command Flute, a soldier he had known for many, many years. In the boy, Oberon had seen a glimmer of malleability and wished to exploit that for his own uses, though his genuine interest in the boy and the promises of advancement to the Avalon forces was not baseless. Oberon wanted him. Any human that could do the things he was doing was worth interest. But, the commander was no fool. He knew what he was looking at and regarded accordingly. His careless moment would not come now. Standing among his closest aides – his silent but infallible wife, Titania; the masterly assassin known to play on his appetites, Puck; and his meek, gifted courtesan, Andromeda, Oberon was ready to let Flute come to his end, if only to satisfy the colossus's need to fester his pride and go to the end without faltering, without once letting his revered strength weaken.

Because it was his wish, Oberon would let Flute fall.

Staggering, suffering from tremendous injuries and bellowing his breaths beneath his great armor, Flute glared upon the human that had consistently aroused him, forcing him to feel the humiliation and hate that came along with his great pride. Although he physically felt little drain on his strength, it was obvious that that strength, from the very beginning, was inadequate to defeat the boy. But, he would not offer that acquittal and stood tall once more, clenching his great fists and glaring down upon the human and his eerie, glowing eyes. "Nothing is over yet. You have proved to be a most elusive opponent, human, but my strength remains unwavering and your human body will soon falter and fail. Time, it seems, is not on your side," he warned gravely. Seeing no change on the expression of Kage, he snarled again and began to formulate a new form of attack, one that would drain him of his strength and allow Flute to overpower him by sheer endurance.

Kage, staring at Flute through his exotic eyes, replied with silence, but remained the center of everyone's attention. Still lying on the ground, propped halfway up on her elbows, Zhi had been watching the battle with wide, bewildered eyes. From the moment that Kage had revealed his Ryuugan, she had understood why it was that he was able to effortlessly evade and attack the great colossus when not one of her village's fighters, including her, could make headway against him. In the fight, he had seemed relaxed, moving easily ahead of Flute's attacks and evading the strikes with only the strain of his body as drag. Despite the fact that he had seemingly been toying with the large general, she could tell that although his kicks were beautiful and powerful, utilizing enough force to jar the colossus around, the sheer nature of the beast didn't allow them to do much damage and, as he had boasted once more, Kage's disadvantage was that the colossus has a seemingly unending supply of strength. While Kage was indeed a very powerful fighter, his body did not have the capability to critically injure the armored body of Flute. All he did now was tire himself and infuriate Flute, which led to a very probably ending of defeat.

Knowing this, Zhi struggled to gather her strength once more to stand, but found she could barely move, as her aching muscles, still weakened from the atrophy, coupled with injury, left her unable to help. But as the reality of his eyes still lingered with her, all she could do was stare at him once more and whisper, under her breath and full of heart-wrenching passion, his name, "Kage."

"Yah, you got a point, Koi-head. If I keep playing around with you, eventually I'm gonna get pooped and you're gonna get lucky. But, you've bought me enough time to make a plan and we can end this now. Ready to get your ass painted by my foot?" Kage asked with his familiar smile returning, accented deeply by the glowing Ryuugan eyes.

Flute, seething anew, flexed beneath his armor and felt the veins in his forehead pulsing. "Bought you time! You think you're just using me? I've suffered your insolence long enough! Die!" he howled and lunged once more, proceeding on the only line he knew.

Kage, confident that he could save Zhi after this, decided that he would forgo the stalling and end Flute's misconceptions. As Flute neared, Kage didn't move. In his heart, he felt the same fear that had been weakening him, telling him that despite his great power and ability, he would fail and the ones he cared about would suffer for it. Yet, he was going to try and defy that fear, to move beyond it and conquer it. If he could, perhaps he would be able to return to Tokyo and be with her. Yes, he wanted that. He would defeat Flute and everything would be fine. He knew it. He felt it. And when Flute came upon him, his great fist reared back to crush him and end this run, Kage's own hand lifted between them, bringing with it the essence of the power that had been granted upon him by the Ryuugan.

Flute's entire body shook, sending a quiver of pain and energy through the lengths of his arms and rattled his armor over his skin. He hadn't even seen the thing which had struck him but knew, instantly, that his entire momentum was halted and that he was frozen before the human, posed like a dumb statue waiting for time to tear him down to gravel. His breath, shaking and lingering his throat, his fists shaking in the air, Flute slowly let his eyes fall down on the boy and drain, for he was different, and his form showed all of the ferocity of the most dangerous animal. Kage's hand still possessed a wisp of energy at his fingers, trailing outwards like a vapor, but meandering and not bound by the gravity that seduced it. It had only been the first, but Kage's devious grin and twitching muscles proved that it would not be the end Flute wanted. Both sets of eyes locked, but only Kage's truly embellished the moment. "Strings of the Broken Puppet," he said deeply, his voice echoing deafly through Flute's ears. Suddenly, Kage was a flurry of motion, his arms whipping about with trails of vapor-like energy, and his body twisting and moving to allow every critical point of the colossus to be assaulted. Not once did his hands touch the armored colossus, yet the damage was very real. Great wounds, surging with Mercury-like blood, opened up on Flute's body, with sprays of the same leaking from his lurching throat and gasping mouth. Not even Oberon and the others could believe the assault, for it decimated the colossus, causing him to twitch like a namesake of Kage's move – to lurch about like a marionette in distress.

With the last great move, Kage's right hand thrust forward and stopped just before touching the breastplate of Flute's armor, sending a massive pulse of energy into him and causing the breastplate, the ornate pride of Flute's armor, to shatter completely. That same shock caused the back of his armor to also burst away, sending a spray of solid and liquid metal into the hall and a gurgling gasp from the general's lips. It was the ending blow and they all knew it. Momentarily, Flute lingered on his feet and stared into the air, his eyes barren and diffused, yet his stubborn body refused to fall in the wake of his awesome power, but all knew that it was over for him. Kage, unlike the pure soldiers of the world, had no reservations about killing an enemy. It was the part of him that never waned.

"I just ruptured a critical focal point of your energy. The Ryuugan let me see it, and the threads of energy all around I used to break it," Kage said suddenly, making Flute look down to him weakly and waver through his knees. Kage, having wiped any pleasure from his face, simply stared back with objective eyes, unable to offer pity or sympathy in either regard. Between them, Flute suddenly saw a startling understanding and he choked out a gasp, as if trying to ask him if he truly, truly knew what his eyes were showing. Kage's face showed a hint of sympathy, for his eyes were softer and consoled the dying giant. "Consider it a favor, that I denied you the decision. Though I wonder, who is it you'd follow? What does a true soldier do in your situation?" he continued, speaking in a voice that only allowed the two the benefit of the conversation. Flute, staring helplessly into his Ryuugan, appeared as if tears would follow blood, the pathetic expression on his face crippling his entire character and betraying the torment that was within him. He didn't know how the human knew, but in some bizarre way, he was grateful to him. Flute furiously lamented his own hate, while his body was slowly dying and his precious strength was slipping from his clenched hands, yet he felt peaceful, relieved of some great burden.

In the last moments of his life, Flute lurched forward into Kage, barely keeping his own weight aloft. The spectators assumed a final effort to attack, yet Flute merely lingered a moment, his lips parting with final words directed to his champion, then simply slumped to the side and hit the ground with a deep, clanging thud. General Flute was dead. His conqueror stood motionless above the body, staring forward to the thousands of mournful reflections and the air that seemed to separate them both from the rest. Flute had uttered nothing but hate to him, yet he had done him a great service in the end and let the matter rest on a field of honor. Kage understood it, but was still forced to give that moment after in respect to the colossal, honorable General.

Only a moment later, great tentacles of black electricity snaked up his legs and coiled around him, making his entire body burn in pain and contract. The unexpected attack let out a groaning scream from him, for in letting his mind wander from the situation at hand, he had completely neglected to remember that a far more fearsome beast had been waiting, watching the battle with the sole intention of addressing the victor. Flute had been defeated, but Oberon had always been the true task. Though the burst of energy had been short, it left Kage sapped of strength and he fell to his hands and knees next to the body of Flute, his eyes widened in both pain and self-admonishment. Oberon, taking a few steps down from his perch, slowly admired his outstretched hand, marveling how easy it was to simply flood the hero with a dose of pain and watch as his valiant efforts become a distant memory. So pleased with the results was he that, in a moment of slight sadism, he smiled and craned his fingers once more, causing another surge of black energy to grow up from the ground beneath the human and inflame his senses once more. This time, due to a certain expectation, Kage did not cry out, but rather tucked into himself with a grunt, as if trying to hold his body together in that dawn of pain. He was overwhelmed, but bore it with pressed eyes and clenched teeth.

Soon after the energy relented and Kage was heaving in deep breaths, his forehead pressed against the floor, Oberon lowered his hand and smiled, though now a polite formality like the serpent gives the mouse after a strike. "Most impressive. It seems you are a dragon after all, my boy. To think a human could defeat General Flute. I must thank you for appeasing him. Falling short of his end would have surely shattered his soul," he said, knowing just how important it had been for Flute to perish on his feet. Kage did not answer, or rather, could not answer, for his body was still trying to align itself after the intense pain. The others watched eagerly, feeling a pride at being under the banner of this apt commander, yet one of them was not joined in. Andromeda, feeling hollow and tormented by fate, looked away even as it was a great insult, pressing her fragile eyes closed and trying to keep out the horrid sounds of Kage's struggling breaths. These things were indeed deplorable to her.

While none of the others stirred in their worship, Oberon's cherished moments were interrupted by a frantic call from a weakly standing figure, set opposed to Kage but still facing Oberon as an enemy. "Stop it! Don't hurt him anymore! I'm the one you want!" Zhi cried and struggled to stay standing, her feet jarring her body in an attempt to stay under her weight.

Oberon, almost forgetting she was part of this, slowly looked to her and tilted his head at the amused expression on her face. "My my, what splendid passion. You must feel a great devotion to this boy; grateful to him for trying to save you," he said sadistically. Zhi's face showed her determination, her resolve to help him that had helped her. It didn't matter that her body was rebelling and her legs felt weak. Her heart was pounding in her ears, and it seemed to sap the strength from her entire body, for as desperately as she wished for her legs to lock and her body to stop spinning, her heart would not cease and her eyes would not cry. Her heart was being selfish, trying to consume her, and she remained standing, waiting for the rest of her body to catch up.

Oberon, eyeing her idly, suddenly formulated something in the back of his mind. It clicked, like a floodgate, and sent warmth throughout his mind. He had an idea. Surely, it was the most desperate of moments that offered hope to the direst situations and he felt that this situation, like all others, could be resolved amiably to his cause. "Poor child. I truly wonder how it is for such a pure heart to love, for nothing could as compelling in all your world. However, I am afraid that you are mistaken in one, most important regard," he cooed, raising his hand once more into the air, but this time towards her. Zhi's chest seized in fear and she rose up her arms in that celebrated pose of defense, fully knowing that it would not save her from the attack. Oberon, lustfully watching her, began to claw his fingers out, speaking in a tone that flicked the words out over his tongue and made him appear coiled. "You are not the one I want," he corrected for her, watching as the black energy began to creep up her legs.

Zhi, feeling the invasion prickling up her legs and body, closed her eyes and whimpered, unable to deny it any longer that, truly, she was going to be put through a lot of pain. Inwardly and after some thought, she didn't lament the fact that she hadn't really helped Kage all that much, or that she hadn't been able to avenge Xue against Flute, but rather only stumbled on the realization that this feeling she had been cradling inside of her, inside the fierce beating of her heart, would quickly be extinguished and that, despite her absolute desire to explore that feeling, both she and Kage would soon be reduced to prisoners or worse – unable to nurse her flowering heart or quell her unnumbered fears. She also thought of her grandfather, wishing that she had gotten a chance to see him again. The love she felt for him had kept her fresh for so long, yet it would be ruthlessly halted by the ones that sought him. Yes, her grandfather was the one that Oberon truly wanted, yet she was satisfied that she had never divulged the information that would have led them to him. He would be safe, at least. In that, she felt peace. In all reality, she had lived a sweet, but short life. Her summers in the meadows, picking flowers with her grandfather; swimming naked in the river with Xue when their only cares were of twilight and scuffed knees; learning art, medicine and cooking from the women of her village as allowances into their legacies – all of this was warm in her mind and she accepted the impending doom. What else was a good life but a peaceful resignation at death?

Then, there was Kage. She only knew him a matter of hours, yet in him, she had explored her girl's heart and found at least the visible tip of love, touching her with a passion that had soothed her injured soul. She really didn't know if it was love, the thing she felt for him, but she did know that it had consumed her enough to validate the name, and she would be accepting of her demise by feeling that she had, in the deepest coffers of her heart, touched love. Oberon had speculated, but could never understand the joy she had felt knowing how he had tried to help her. Just thinking about the way he fought for her made her flush slightly, her hands reaching out in a blind attempt to feel his touch before her end. A smile came about her, for endings were moments of vanity. Regardless of how selfish it was she sighed softly near the crackle of energy at her head, telling herself that, through his actions and the way he protected her, saved her and sacrificed himself for her, he had loved her as well. It was blissful to begin dreaming right before the grip of sleep takes, and Zhi wanted to dream sweetly of a lover until darkness swept her away.

Yet, just as she had accepted a sort of ad hoc peace, a howling rage caught her ears and her eyes shuttered open – just in time to see Kage rush upon Oberon.


	9. Fondness of the Heart

**Chapter Nine – Fondness of the Heart**

In the innards of a dark room, amidst billowing flames from torches all around and the sounds of the night within trees, a council of three sat brooding a dimly lit triangle, though in such a fashion that it appeared to have once been a square. It was in the air that, for sure, a great distress hung over the three figures that drove deeper than the thin appearances they wore, and the shaded brows and half-closed eyes were true enough as to the mood that had developed over them. After all, it had been a long time since they had come together in such a manner. Each now flew free, boundless in their joy and very rarely looking backwards. Had it not been for their common bilge, carefree living would have been their marquee.

"I don't know which is worse, really. I almost _want _to see her sad and stuff," said one, his voice hanging with varying tones that betrayed his standard animated self and seemed almost unreasonable, that he could speak with such a purpose.

However, the others, equally proven as great emancipators, were just as grimly lit in the midst of the flickering torches and sprays of sparks into the cool night air. "I cannot justify her logic," replied another, the torchlight iridescent across glasses in the dark, "though it is not necessarily detrimental to her. Perhaps it is some kind of defense mechanism. Or perhaps…" At this point, he trailed off and his head canted a bit, to let his eyes fall upon the silent, stolid third that had yet to offer much of anything in the council since the night had begun.

This figure remained motionless, knitted hands pressed against pursed lips and eyes closed to the room around him. The other two looked to him intently, as if hanging upon every moment like it would be the one that brought his opinion and that, apparently, was something of great value. Yet, thus far, he had not offered it. However, as if the presentation had admirably satisfied him, this third opened a set of endlessly onyx eyes that grew red slivers of flame from the torches, though his whole seemed to remain rooted in place and unable to move in his voice's wake.

"Perhaps he really will come back," he said in a voice cut from silence. Even now, after his story had unfolded and some great power within him had disappeared, the torches swayed and shimmered at the voice of Kurobashi Yamito. There was no reason for it, besides simple tradition that had grown from his former days. Yet, at that very thought, Yamito's eyes visibly flinched. This return would not bode well for him. He knew that. Out of all, he was the one that benefited most from the absence, yet even beyond the obvious threat to his safety, his heart hoped that Kage would return. It was the stupidity of love; of his love for Kage. Despite all that had come between them, he was part of their team. He, like the three in the peaceful light, was the last of an entire Universe; the last of the former Scion. That easily forged a bond for them all.

"Keh," the first snorted sharply and shifted on his rump, rubbing his fingers viciously through a mop of blonde hair, "that guy is the stubbornest, most wacked out guy I know. He's stringy, rock-headed and just as likely to clip your gourd off rather than shake hands with ya. He hates us, then _fights _us, goes cookie-cutter in the head, then somehow changes altogether and has new powers. Then the ditch monkey runs off after _finally_finding out he's a good guy, just to make us worry about him! Mou! If he wasn't such a T-bone, I'd knock some sense into that block of wood on his neck." Hoshi 'Suteki' Hitoshi had always been on another level, from his opulent lifestyle in former days to his wild and deviant behaviors in any type of subject. Even in the worst of moments, he had always a charming word to say. Now, with his world's empty segment on his mind, the whimsical flights of his crystal blue eyes were directed to the task of trying to navigate the time until his friend and companion would return.

The last, being the observant of the group, smiled in spite of himself. Agawa Kurai had always been the thinker, the scholar to Yamito's mystic, Kage's fighter and Suteki's inamorato. It had been his calling to analyze, interpret and infuse any and all information into the simple, undeniable truth that would support them in their ways. Yet, despite all of his calculations and predictions, it was not in him to simply weigh the odds against his friend of Yamamori Kage. In truth, he cared more deeply for his friendships with these three others than he could freely admit. In moments of darkness and despair, they had been the only ones that he could rely upon, day after day, moment after wretched moment. War and hell had come and gone, yet he remained attached to them beyond. It was a very durable, if not elastic, bond for them. "Yes, I miss him as well. I'd like to think, despite our recent unpleasantness and stressed relations, that our Kage considers that he has true friends waiting for him," Kurai said timidly. The others were silent in agreement, but a sudden and unexpected chuckle from Kurai caused them both to regard him with raised brows. "Yet, we may not be the most potent reasoning behind his potential return. Whatever has our Kage become in these few, topical days?" he said, almost musing to himself and the workings of his mind.

"_Amor vincit omnia_," he mused vocally.

Yamito and Suteki looked at him awkwardly. Kurai knew the tongue was foreign, yet he left it to linger around them just as the ambient heat of the torches did, as if enhance the air and make the meaning all the more concise. Then, slipping his glasses from his nose to regard them both with his shining blue eyes and warm smile, he shrugged slightly and spoke as if it were common knowledge – as if they should feel foolish for not knowing by sheer implication. "Love conquers all," he translated.

The translation brought a great reaction in Suteki, who had always been the champion of love, and he nearly jumped up from his mat, rocking a fist through the air in perfect rhythm with his heartbeat. "That's what I'm talking about! Even that bone-headed sour-puss can't deny the power of love, baby! It's like dynamite packed in an A-bomb blown in by a typhoon during an earthquake!" he howled, grinning widely and rooting about in the depth of his admiration for the subject. His antics were the burning of his deepest thoughts and while Yamito shook his head in reaction to the overwhelming passion, Kurai felt the deep and churning envy for Suteki's ability to embrace the honesty, inward and out.

The absence of Kage truly exhumed Kurai's character. The loss of such a close friend was devastating for him, though only Ami truly knew of it. Even with the nature of his relationship with the brooding, jaded figure, Kurai felt a part of him departed when Kage did, like a great piece of him that had endured a world-splitting war was just torn away without regard or reason. Kage had always been the strength Kurai desired, the strength to endure anything with the same unwavering resolve that had always left him tall and proud – a beast of glory. Kurai admired him, idolized even, despite the fact that Kage had been lost inside his own madness and nearly became the greatest villain to them all. However, despite his great flaws, Kage had ascended, grown to become a man with unbelievable power. Kurai had never been powerful. He knew it. But through his friends, he had always felt empowered and able to contend with anything that might come his way. Now, as a great shard of his security had been lost, he was unsure, even in the wake of his growing family of people dear to him. He hid it, speaking softly about Kage and pushing his feelings back with schoolbooks, but the one dearest to him saw right through it – saw the denial. Friendship, he knew, transcended all bounds of common sense. Despite everything, he just wanted Kage to return.

"He will return," said Yamito suddenly, freezing the moment with all eyes on him. They all knew, as did many others, Kage's feelings towards him. It wasn't enough to say that Kage disliked Yamito, or even hated him. Kage denied him. From the moment they all knew Yamito was different to the last fleeting moments when Kage was visible, they had been in deep, unrestricted conflict. Sometimes, Yamito believed Kage's reasoning. The resolution of his destiny had proven that what Kage claimed was true, that he could have used his unnatural power to end the suffering on their world long before Kage's sister was killed. Then again, Yamito only conquered his destiny with the help of Rei, the ivory soul that he met only after coming to this world. Still, he wished for nothing more than to set things right with his estranged friend, even though he had now lost his only defense against the wrathful vengeance still churning in his heart. Before, Yamito's power had dwarfed Kage's. That was not the case any longer. In fact, Yamito considered Kage's new powers to be on par with the chosen soldiers of the world, whereas his own had simply faded away, leaving him only armed with his spiritual awareness and ability to conjure charms. If Kage returned, he would be totally at his mercy. Yet, he still spoke fondly of that time, remitting himself to serving his time at the Hikawa shrine and with the one that had so selflessly illuminated his path. "I believe we have all learned that the most relevant power in the universe is the bonds between people, or the power of love, to appease Hitoshi," he said, closing his eyes and basking in the warm conduct of the room. When the group was whole again, he would suffer whatever revenge Kage had in store, just as long as it meant having him close again. "And despite the hole in his heart, I think we all know that Kage truly, deeply loves that girl. What else do we need to know to expect his return?" he finished.

There was silence. It was a strange time for Suteki, who had always been lively and on the curl of the action. He was no different than the others, for he missed Kage terribly, but probably was the one that felt his absence the most. In him, despite his wild behavior and constant stretching of limitations, there was the most exaggerated grief and longing, mostly because it was Kage that had always been the one that put down his flirtatious jaunts or hormone-induced rants. Now that his limiter was gone, Suteki felt bored. Of course, his wildly passionate relationship with the goddess herself reduced his previous jubilance, but there was no one that could cap his flights of arousal as wonderfully as Kage, leaving him almost resentful for the freedom. But also, Suteki had been the closest to Kage, before and after the death of Mika. He had seen each moment of wrenching change, from the reverent seeker of the sacred style of Ryushuuken to the flagrant villain that crushed anything within reach. He had tried to stick by him, but he had spiraled too quickly for Suteki to hold on. Now, knowing that he was somewhere in the world, struggling to come to terms with himself, he wanted to be there with him, to show him that in all of the times that they had spent together, they had suffered together. He wanted to show him that he loved him, just as they all did. That love, he mused, was as powerful as the one he felt for Minako.

"Yamito-kun?" said a voice, drawing all of their attention to a single shaded figure in the doorway, "Jin-chan and Kurai-kun too?" It was her. Her eyes were wide and bright even in the low light and she looked around at the three of them with a slight surprise apparent. To see the three of them together like this, she knew what they were talking about. It was obvious in their expressions. Because of it, she smiled lightly, overjoyed that her absent lover was still powerfully in the minds of his friends. "Sorry to bother you, everyone. I was looking for Rei-chan. Do you know where she is, Yamito-kun?" she asked and she was holding a basket tightly in her free hand.

They all felt sorry for her, if only because she seemed so sad in spite of her cherry tidings. This girl had been in the worst of the storm, tossed about by her love for their companion and further denied as he left. Hers was the greatest loss. Hers was the greatest pain. Yet, she carried it with the most grace, sparkling beautifully in the night even as all other lights had seemed to fade from her life. "I believe she is speaking with her grandfather. You will have to wait until they have concluded, Makoto," Yamito said, watching her eyes intently for some kind of hint as to her secret power.

Her eyes dimmed a bit, but she was still smiling and she bowed slightly, placing her hand on the screen door to close it. "Thanks, everyone. Again, sorry to bother you," she said and began to close the door. However, a voice caught from the inside and caused her to stop, looking to the three of them with a curious glance.

"Won't you sit with us?" asked Yamito, gesturing to the empty place testing the semblance of their group.

It was unusual. When the three of them were together, they nearly always preferred to be alone, mostly because they were talking about their past and the lives that had been lost. Her and her friends knew to give them space when that world was spoken of, but now they were inviting her, allowing her enter because of the common empty place existent in each of their hearts. Together, they could come a little closer to filling it. She was surprised at first, then smiled widely and nodded her head, speaking with a happy voice, "Of course!" After entering and closing the door behind her, she moved into the place that had been created, kneeling down gracefully with the smile retained on her beautiful features. This place was her lover's, but she would keep it warm for him. It felt wonderful to have this piece of him with her, if only for a moment, and she then went into her basket and pulled three wrapped pieces of sweet, homemade manju, placing one for each of them before leaning back onto her knees. She took a moment to look at each of them, the three greatest friends in his life. Each one brought some greatly needed thing to his fragile soul and she felt deeply appreciative to them, smiling happily in their presence and beginning the conversation that they each needed to hear. "Let's talk about him. I want to hear everything you know about Kage," she said, glad for the opportunity to be with him, even if it was through the memories and affections of his closest friends.


	10. Waking to Flowers

**Chapter Ten – Waking to Flowers**

Zhi awoke in a flowering field in the countryside, like it was something pulled right from her dreams and given to her like a gift. Her memory was a blur, her body was racked with pain and her heart believed for one moment that she had passed beyond the veil. The wide moments after intense dreaming left the eyes open and awed, but the bright sunlight soon forced reality back on her and she put a hand across those eyes, shielding them from the intense brightness and pain. _What happened? Where is this place?_ These questions were burning in her mind and she was silenced by them, as if each screamed loudly behind her ears for total devotion to the answer. Her limbs felt distant, her chest constricted inside of the guard's shirt and every part of her body was sticky with sweat.

It was hot. The sun beat down on her and she slowly sat up, her stomach muscles tightened whenever she breathed. Her skin felt cool in the movements and she looked down, seeing dew still present on the blades of grass, but time and the sun were quickly drying it up. A flower stared back at her. It was a moment where she forgot everything and was consumed by that one flower – lost in its spiraling infinity and carefree face.

"There was a fight," she thought, placing her hand back to her forehead to battle the throbbing that came with her movement. She remembered him. It was the same colossus that had torn through her village and shattered her portrait of memories. She remember Xue being knocked aside those many months ago and that she had rushed into the right uncaring, furiously trying to avenge her past. The massive beast had throttled her and tossed her aside, only to be soundly defeated by…

Her eyes flew open again. Kage. Somehow, in the irony of the moment, she had forgotten him. Before, he had dominated her mind and heart though those parts were only slowly coming to terms with the moment. The last thing she remembered was Kage pouncing on Oberon and everything afterwards became a bright flash.

How had she come to be out in the open, free from that metal prison that would haunt her dreams until her death?

What had happened to him?

These questions led her to brave the sun once more and look about the meadow, trying to find him. And there he was. He was a solitary figure, sitting motionlessly upon a small rock a distance away, his profile displayed to her by the backing sun and his gallant silhouette framed by a distant city. He was hunched forward, his chin on his fist, and it appeared he was deep in thought, but very much alive to the relief of the young girl. In fact, her heart began beating once more when she saw him, with her every being wanting to leap up and run to his arms. But that wasn't possible. Her legs wouldn't move that way. But her heart wanted it. Her arms wanted it. Her eyes…

His eyes.

They came to her in a flash and her breath stuttered, as if she had just remembered something so terribly awful that the very air was afraid to join the idea, or so wonderful that releasing it would destroy the dream forever. She had seen those eyes before. When she was very little, she had seen them. Knowing who it was that possessed those same eyes, she was instantly pulled in further by him, by his very essence and being. This young man Kage had become the axis of her world, with every waking thought being spent for him and the beating of her heart a sonata in his name. Suddenly, like a tidal wave of comfort and convenience, Zhi very much believed in the thing called Fate and that things so carefully constructed and connected could not be mere coincidence. For him to come and save her, with his beautiful, terrible eyes and his intense raging of spirit, it was enough to convince her that these things she was feeling were not just mere whims of a young heart, but something more. He was meant to find her. He was meant to save her. She was meant to feel this squall in her heart when she looked at him.

"What, you finally woke up?" said a voice that tore her from her daydream. Instantly, her eyes focused and locked on him, on his tattered figure. During her lapse, he had stood and walked to her, his hands casually stabbed in his pockets and his figure towering like a wonderful sentinel over her world. It was only then she got a good look at him. His clothes were in pieces, with his jacket completely gone to reveal the sports shirt underneath. She could still see the gloves on his hands and his yellow and black pants were the same, but everything, including the newly exposed undershirt, were all torn and ripped, exposing skin and even some light wounds. She was embarrassed and worried at the same time, but managed to still remain in a stupor of young love. Yet, she hadn't yet dared confront those fantastic eyes again. They were there, she knew it, but were too dangerous to be looked upon, if only because they were so terribly beautiful. When she finally did look up, she was slightly denied. A piece of his jacket had apparently been torn and wrapped around his head like a bandana, with the lip kept low across his brow to hide his eyes. They were diminished, but she could still see the eerie glow seeping out past the shadows. For all of this admiration, she was silence, her chest unconsciously not falling and her mouth hanging slightly open.

Kage became annoyed and looked away, as if he knew she was looking for his exotic eyes. "Look, if you're going to gawk and stare then you can just talk to my ass. Helluva way to treat the guy that just broke you outta that place," he grumbled.

To this, Zhi suddenly realized she had been staring and looked down at his boots, her face a bit red from the realization. "Sorry! I didn't mean to stare," she said quickly, tucking her chin into her chest. She really didn't want him to acknowledge that she was paying so much attention to him.

Quite a while passed this way, with a warm breeze prodding them both and the sounds of distant cities yelling from far away. Zhi was a fury of questions and answers, but she was also trounced by her previous inclination to wish nothing more than to be with him again, to cherish the feelings she had discovered in such a surprisingly short amount of time. Had she really admitted to herself that she felt those things for him, a person she barely met? Now that she was seemingly safe, did she dare admit them again? Death was a terribly embarrassing confidant and she didn't know if she could ever fully accept the fact that her last living moments were going to be dreaming of this brooding young man standing before her.

"Well, you gonna say it or what?" he suddenly said, jarring her internal debate and making her flush even more. Knowing what she knew, she didn't know a thing. Did those eyes allow him to see something like that? Was she now exposed and forced to explain herself? The madness of confession took her and she gripped her pants tightly, biting her lower lip in anticipation of telling him the truth. But, he denied her the chance when he spoke first. "'What's with those eyes?'" he said, mimicking a higher voice with a chiding tone to it, "'Are you some kind of freak?'"

Knowing now that he was talking about how someone might react to his unusual optical ware, she slowly looked up and found a strange expression, almost like he was embarrassed by those beautiful blinders. "What?" she asked innocently.

"Tch, don't pretend you're not all wigged out about them. They're freaky, I know, so if you got something to say, take your chances," he said sharply, pulling down the cloth a bit further out of annoyance with the idea that someone was thinking about it. It was obvious he was a bit sensitive about them, which struck Zhi as odd because he seemed like someone that had no care in the world about other people's petty concerns.

However, upon a moment of reflection concerning his exotic eyes, she smiled lightly and relaxed her hands, looking up at him with an air of affection. "I think they're beautiful," she said. Her tone was final and even made him look down at her, shocked that someone was so honestly impressed by his strange eyes.

But soon after he snorted, looking away again and crossing his arms across his loaded chest. "Psh, whatever. Since that brick wall busted my shades, I gotta make this piece of raggy shit work until can find some new ones. On top of that, my new skins are trashed and I left my bag back in that damned dungeon. Let me just point out that saving your skinny little ass has put a real damper on my day," he said, looked back to her with a scowl. But she was still smiling at him, the kind of smile that said he could say anything to her at that moment and she would still be living in a sigh. He hated those kinds of smiles. This time he snorted and shifted inside of his torn clothing, his muscles warping the tight black fabric and his joints popping at the sudden movement. "It's like talking to a piano," he muttered.

But by now Zhi had broken from her trance and remembered some definite things, like that there were a lot of things she definitely didn't remember. Shifting on the ground slightly, she put a finger to her chin in thought and tried to pry them from her memory, but nothing came. "But, how did we get out? I don't remember escaping or anything," said she with the fluttering heart.

Kage shrugged, idly adjusting his gloves on his beaten hands. "Beats the hell outta me. I remember Obi zapping me, which hurt a lot, and then waking up out here in this cheesy-ass meadow. You know, I think we actually could be dead," he thought out loud, though directed for her benefit as well.

Suddenly, Zhi's foot came sweeping across and kicked him in the shin, making him yelp out and do a very interesting dance that amused her silently. The seriousness of their situation became dull as the Zhi was just grinning, though Kage was nearly livid with the indignation at being kicked, "What the fu…"

"Well, at least we know we're not dead. That was just a ghost check," she said, though it didn't seem to cool him down any.

After Zhi had finished brooding over the fresh lump on her head, she stood up among the flowers and took her first good look at their location. The city was in the far distance and she could barely believe that they had traveled so far. She instinctively moved towards the mountains that were now wonderfully closer and her heart soared. Home was not far away. In fact, she was sure that if she ran, the meadows of her memories would be visible before the end of tomorrow. That alone made her want to sprint, but she quickly looked back to Kage with an air of concern, her eyes showing a great dilemma brewing just behind. This was the person that inherited the eyes of the dragon, she knew. The interconnectivity of fate was never more apparent. However, she truly knew nothing about him, about his past or what kind of person he truly was when he wasn't buried in the crisis of trying to escape. So she was reluctant. How could she weigh the safety of someone she loved so dearly against the impish flush of passion? True, she did feel something very powerful for the young man, but she also had an obligation to consider the consequences of her actions on the one that had raised her, taught her and loved her. For a young heart in currents of longing, it was a very biased consideration.

"Hey," she said, grabbing him from the foul mood that had seeming settled over him, "you're looking for someone, aren't you?"

Without turning his head, Kage's Ryuugan had fallen to her, his scowling face not losing any of its potency but his interest aroused by the sudden change of pace between them. Recent events had driven him further into despair. Even watching the young girl fawn idly over the lump he had given her brought no relief, leaving him a bitter shadow of the former creature that had nearly cost him his heart, mind and soul. However, something in her tone of voice stalled his descent. Yet, he didn't reply.

She knew why and it made her force a smile. These things were a matter far beyond her grasp, but she knew that she also had her own needs. Because she didn't want to see his reaction, to save herself from the initial judgment that she would undoubtedly give upon his reaction, she closed her eyes and let out a slow breath before speaking that name. "Liu Kuan Yin," she said. Although she wasn't looking, she knew that he reacted quite a bit to the name and it made her smile even more bitterly. Her suspicions were correct, that everything that was happening recently was connected with that man and that even the brawler was after him. It seemed everyone was after him. Knowing that, she didn't really know if she could continue the path of her heart, knowing that it would lead someone, eventually, to that one man that meant more to her than anything else. "I knew it," she said, whispering weakly.

"That man," he suddenly said, "is who I was told to find when I got these eyes. I don't know why or even how he could possibly help, but I got no other choice. Without that man, I may go back…" Near the end, his voice faltered and he went silent, prompting her to look to him in the wake of his silence.

What she found was a poor, tired soul staring down at his human hands, his lips pressed shut tightly and those same mystical eyes glowing with a dead, cold aura. His expression shocked her, made her look to him fully even despite the expectations she had put upon herself in order to protect that man. Even now, as she had nearly resigned herself to not telling a soul the secret of Liu Kuan Yin, the allure of his words and the utter despondency of his voice made her shift a bit closer to him, tilting her head and inquiring as much with her young eyes as her quiet voice, "Back?"

Kage slowly looked up from his hands, letting them clench tightly away from his sight and his Ryuugan went to her, glowing now beneath the rag in a display that truly accented his inner turmoil – his feral soul. "To what I was before," he said casually.

Whatever that meant, Zhi could see that it was a terrible, terrible thing. She had no idea what he had done before, or even what kind of person truly resided within him but she also saw that whatever this horrible past was, he was fighting with all of his heart to get beyond it and grow – grow stronger. Just beyond his rough exterior, beyond all of the spears and battlements he put up in order to hide himself, she saw that he was a very frightened person, but not frightened of anything that could jump out of the night or slip through the grass. He was frightened of himself. That alone made her yearn for him even more.

"I see," she said, looking away a moment if only to prevent her eyes from betraying the intense affection she had for him. Why it was that the young and pure always sought to love the jaded, she didn't know. It was a great joke on the innocent. Yet, knowing fully well that this headlong spiral into her affections for him could only lead her to heartbreak, she stood slowly and faced him, looking up with eyes alight with resolve and determination. "I know where you can find that man. If anyone can help you, I know that he can," she said and by the surprised look on his face, she knew he questioned whether she was really telling the truth. To that, she just smiled and even laughed, clasping her arms behind her back in a sort of courtesy and finally telling him why it was Oberon had such an interest in her and why she could actually show him the way.

With that presentation, she said in a proud and powerful voice, "My name is Liu Zhi. Liu Kuan Yin is my grandfather."

* * *

On the second day after escaping, the two were fast approaching the mountain village where Zhi had spent her whole life. Although she knew that it was now a shadow due to the attack by Oberon and the others, with an unknown amount of people alive or missing, she desperately wanted to see it merely because it was her home and home never left the heart. Every moment she spent on the skirts of her childhood made her more and more eager to rush, but she also knew that certain heartbreak was waiting at the village as well. People she knew and cared for would be gone. Home would never be the same. In that, she was dragging her feet slightly.

Here and there, Zhi had been talking with local people from the villages in the Chinese countryside, mostly asking about her village and if anyone had heard anything about it. Despite the fact that she was talking in her native language of Wu Chinese and he wouldn't know a word of what was being said, she knew the real reason Kage moved off by himself whenever a group of people came near. Kage didn't like crowds. She saw it in his movements and his posture. He was worried someone would see his Ryuugan and make a fuss, which was something that might make their trip a little more dangerous and otherwise bother the pacified rage inside of him. Also, seeing a wildly dressed Japanese man in the midst of the countryside was very bizarre, possibly even a bit dangerous as some people fear difference to the point of violence. But, she knew nothing like that could touch him. Even Oberon, with his incredible strength, seemed to be nothing but a stray tree branch to be brushed aside by this person that had captured her heart. So even as she spoke, she found herself glancing over at him, his towering presence like a beacon for her serenity and she couldn't help but smile whenever she let her young eyes take in the figure of Kage.

"Dajing is close," said the girl as she approached him, the realization of home light in her eyes, "and we may get there before the evening." Although this was grand news to her, he just stared out over the rice paddies thrown like a thousand slivered mirrors all laying carelessly on the earth. There was a sort of nostalgic look to him and Zhi stared a bit, wondering just what it was that had taken him, a person that seemed barely able to pry himself from the moment. But in the end she just laughed it off and looked out as well, happy to be out in the open air and not cramped up in a dark cell. "Ah, it's been a long time since I've smelled this air and heard all of the frogs singing. Do rice fields look the same in Japan?" she asked, though she hardly expected him to answer. The girl was merely voicing her love for the countryside; the way the trees embraced the land and the gray titans of the city were miles and miles away. Green was her favorite color. She could smell the distant tea leaves and the chalky water stagnant in the fields. They cradled her heart when she breathed them in. In fact, she had been so lost in her own worship of the scenery that she expected him to brush off her fluttering breaths and hardly speak a word.

She was very surprised when he responded. "This is just like where I was born," he said. The young girl looked up to him, amazed by how fluidly a fond memory and bitter reminder could exist in the same visible thought. He hadn't really talked about himself at all, so she was eager to grasp this opportunity to learn more about him.

"Really? Where's that? Will you tell me about?" she asked.

That request seemed to spark the tide of bitterness over and Kage's brow dropped the cloth over his eyes further, his lips twisting into a scowl and his figure quickly turning away from the scenery. "No," he answered and continued on in the same direction they had been heading. It bothered her how easily he shut her out, even to the point of her sticking her tongue out at him and thinking about tossing a ball of mud at him, but seeing as he was quickly gaining ground and she was still waiting to be let in, she gave up on her revenge and followed, deciding that she needed to keep working at it to make him crack.

"I've always wanted to see Japan," she said without invitation, but rather to his chagrin as he kept walking silently. But that wouldn't stop her. "I've always lived in a small village and done small village things, but I really want to see Tokyo. I've heard fantastic things about that place! So I plan on going someday. I can do it too," she continued, this time feeling really proud as she began articulating her words very precisely and smooth, "I bet you want to know how I know how to speak Japanese so well, huh? You're probably just dying to know!" By this time she had danced up past him and was walking backwards, leaning and grinning in hopes to sweeten his smile. He didn't even flinch, but kept walking in his stony manner. That did little to dissuade her and she even recited a few quick tongue twisters to prove her ability, "Red Pajama, Brown Pajama, Yellow Pajama! The Bus Gas Explodes! Great, huh?" Again, there was no answer and she felt a little depressed now, falling behind him again as she looked at his brooding figure walking along the small dykes between rice fields. As much as she was trying to engage him, he seemed like another person, completely different than the young man that had come to save her and before he fought Oberon. Still, she felt that if she was to connect with him, she'd have to do something to get his attention.

Then, she got an idea. "Hey," she said, smiling a bit as she felt it was a very good idea and a good way to show off her knowledge of his country, "would it make you feel more at home if I called you onii-chan or ani-ue? I've read that in Japan girls my age call someone older their brother and…" she said but suddenly stopped in her tracks, noticing that he had also come to a complete stop on the dyke. Arching a bit to the side, she asked if everything was alright but was completely oblivious to the look on his face or the fact that his fists were clenched white-knuckle tight at his sides. She thought maybe he wanted to go to the bathroom or something else and so she waited for his response. There was no expectation of the trembling rage that was slowly scorching the edges of his mind.

Yet, within the dense gathering of trees just adjacent the rice fields, sitting on a thick branch with a great smile on his face, a figure rose up a single hand, index finger and thumb touching and creating a small circle with the two figures inside. Kage and Zhi were left in the middle of this bullseye as a smile seemed to slip from the shadows of the leaves. It was perfect. There was a good chance of being wrong, but anxiety could no longer contain the desire to attack. The figure shivered in place at the thought of it. Then he stifled a chuckle and his voice was nearly lost in the wind as it passed by through the leaves. "Found you," he said.


	11. The Quagmire of Doubt

**Chapter Eleven – The Quagmire of Doubt**

Zhi had started to get impatient at Kage's silence. She had merely asked a simple question and he had been locked by it, frozen in place on the muddy dyke as if they cemented his feet to the ground. Because of the low-slung bandana across his eyes, she couldn't judge his mood, yet the way his jaw was locked told her that she had possibly said something wrong. "Kage…san?" she asked, adding a respectful tag to try and smooth over whatever anger she might have provoked. However, he stood there, tight and frigid. It began to scare her.

Suddenly, Kage lunged at her. The speed in which he moved caused her to yelp loudly and, without her knowledge, her arms had risen up to protect herself. Her mind wailed with possibilities of what could have caused him to turn so violently on her, yet her eyes had pressed closed to hide from the blow and she couldn't see the purpose in his eyes. All she knew was something had set him off and she was going to suffer for it.

When the blow came, she found herself on her back in the thick, greedy mud of the rice patty. She was more surprised than ever. There had been no painful strike or agonizing injury. She was just muddy now and she wanted to know why. "What are you doing?" she cried and wiped some mud that had splattered onto her face, feeling a distinct chill run through her as the waters hadn't quite shed the coolness of the morning. Being lathered in blackish mud and her mind whirling at the reasons behind it, she looked up to him for answers but was met with only a foray of new questions.

Kage was on one knee next to her, his hand plunged deep into the mud for balance and his body was equally covered in mud. However, his eyes were cast off in another direction, his lips pressed and it was obvious that their playful romp in the mud together was anything but a fetish.

Zhi managed to sit up in the deep mud and crushed rice plants, trying to wipe away the filth. Everything he did made her more and more confused, yet when her eyes finally came across the dyke they had been walking on, her chest froze against her heavily soiled shirt and she gasped. Two huge gashed ran the length of the dyke, completely destroying it where they had been walking before thinning back out and disappearing a distance away. It was as if a huge bird had swooped down with great talons and dug up the ground beneath them. She hadn't even seen whatever had tilled the ground so maliciously, but obviously Kage had.

The attack had sterilized Kage's mind and he was no longer fuming over what Zhi had said. There was a moment just before he had seen the attack coming where he was ready to punish the idea – the proposition that someone be allowed to replace his precious sister. Even as Zhi was oblivious, he would have responded to the idea in a very vicious manner despite the fact that he had grown used to her being around him and that he had put forth quite an effort to save her. She had touched a part of him that was raw. He knew that part of him would never heal and, as a constant reminder of why he had done the things he had done, he didn't want it to. There was more than one person that suffered from his refusal to heal.

Now Kage looked intently at the area around them. Whoever had attacked was very good and had used his distraction to almost end them both. The effort had failed, but Kage was certain there was more to come. "Come out! You too chicken-shit to show yourself after seeing what I did to your tin-man buddy?" Kage hollered. He stood straight, towering over Zhi, and the mud caked his skin and body, dripping like the earth's blood from him. Despite his soiled appearance, the sublime glow of his Ryuugan showed that another attack wouldn't catch him off guard and that whoever was responsible for the first had to find a new strategy or retreat.

A slight distance from the two mud-soaked victims, a collection of sparkling, diamond-shaped plates appeared in the air, floating aimlessly against the sky and marking an unnatural presence. Soon enough the metal combined together into four larger plates and these plates orbited a man floating as carefree as a breeze, though a devious smile and intent eyes warned of a purpose far crueler. His purple hair was shortly cropped and styled fashionably and his clothes were as beautifully colorful as service would allow. With a smile on his face, the man's purple eyes showed amusement and lust and it seemed he had only half-expected that his attack would have done them in.

Kage immediately recognized the man as one of Oberon's lackeys, though he wasn't at all surprised. No human he knew had the capacity to attack as he had and the brawler had expected that one of Oberon's minions would catch up with them. As he had soundly defeated Flute and sized up the fragile woman as benign, he worried of two others in Oberon's vanguard. Yet he knew that other than the skittish woman, this man was the weakest of the group – even weaker than Flute was. That fact disappointed him. "I figured one of you would be along soon. I guess Obi's keeping the best for last, huh?" Kage barked at him, taking a few steps onto what was left of the dyke so he had better footing. "I think your name was…Fuck or something?" he added with a smirk, trying to incite anger from the man.

However, in light of current events and knowing something that the human brawler didn't, Puck merely smiled wider and crossed his arms over his chest, his lustful eyes moving over Zhi's dirtied body and responsive eyes, knowing the reason she looked at him with such fervor was the many wonderful nights he had spent trying to violate her. Still, seeing her covered in muck and so delightfully afraid, he could hardly gather his thoughts to retort. "Ah, an avenue I had hardly explored. How wonderful you look when lathered in condiments, my dear," the man responded, all but ignoring Kage.

As Zhi burned in anger, Kage felt his own rage fanned. He never liked being ignored and quickly swept his hand through the air, sending a surge of energy through the invisible bands that only he could see. Just as he had been able to cut open Flute's face on a whim, he had hoped to knock the perverted look off Puck's face but instead was startled when there was a loud pang that echoed through the rice patty. One of the rotating plates had moved up and taken the blow – being bent in the middle from the impact. Puck had been enjoying his own thoughts when the interruption came, yet he hadn't even moved as the plate took the impact.

Eyeing the bent plate, Puck laughed softly as it bent back to normal and began rotating, his amusement even more amplified by the actions of this twisted knight. "Temper temper, boy. If it pains you to see me admiring this pert young thing, I can always enjoy your wonderful form as well," he said with a lavish giggle. Puck obviously had no restrictions when it came to his interests and he was just as content to ogle over both of them. Kage responded with a snort and Puck frowned slightly, reaching out one hand so he could lovingly look over his nails for imperfections. "But you hurt my feelings when you said that I'm the weakest. How can you be so cruel and break my heart?" he said, though he appeared far more dubious that Kage gave him credit for.

Kage scowled more, having none of the capacity to toy with him as he had Flute. "Blow me. Even Flute was stronger than your dumb ass. After seeing what I did to him, Obi's just being a dick by sending you instead of that other girl. At least she might have been interesting to fight," Kage responded.

Puck smiled once more. "Do you mean Lady Titania?" he asked.

"Whatever her name was," he replied.

Puck suddenly started laughing a bit more and even twirled in his delight. While Kage was left to wonder what had left him so amused, Puck settled onto the ground farther down the dyke, the metal plates still rotating and orbiting him like clockwork. The fact that the human couldn't remember what had happened made it even more wonderful – so much so that Puck nearly held back from telling him. Puck couldn't even imagine how Oberon was able to stay his anger and refrain from crushing the human, but he felt honored to be the one to inform him of his deed.

It was even very peasurable. "My dear boy, you have already killed her," he said, his voice almost arching in enjoyment.

Kage was struck by what he said. He had no memory of killing anyone after Flute and after observing what kind of power Titania possessed, he couldn't believe that he had done it. He knew that he would at least remember the struggle, yet his mind was blank and his mouth gaped open. He truly didn't remember what happened after Oberon had racked his body to the breaking point and turned his focus on Zhi, yet he could also see by use of the Ryuugan that Puck wasn't lying.

Somehow, he had killed someone who was nearly as strong as Oberon and didn't remember a thing. "What did you say?" Kage stuttered amidst his own amazement.

Puck posed in dramatic fashion, as if he were playing a part in a play. He had always enjoyed the theater and even peeked in on human plays since their arrival, yet it was when the drama was real and the essence of emotions was displayed that he truly felt the depth of theater. It made him glad he came with Oberon on his mission. "Oh, pity poor Commander Oberon! You have slain his beloved wife and sent his soul into chaos. With how viciously you have performed the deed, it is a wonder the commander himself has not hunted you down for revenge. Yet," he continued, his eyes moving to the human for another dose of information, "I would imagine that he is still trying to find all of her."

Kage's mind was out of control and his eyes darted wildly in his head. As if somehow triggered by the taunting, flashes began to burn in his mind and show him fragments of the deed he had committed. He could only see short jolts. They were confined by his fear and only clear enough to see how brutal he had been. But the Ryuugan was only now showing him of things that had happened when his mind was black and his anger raged.

_The woman screamed. She tried to defend herself but…can I really move like this? I broke her spear like it was a toothpick. Even Obi tried to stop me but…gods…I tore her apart._

Kage's mind was a torrent of thoughts and regrets, yet his eyes pressed closed and he could only think about one thing. It was the same as before. The capacity for evil things was still within him and he had done something horrendous, even if she had been his enemy. He had no memory of it and even refused to believe he had been able to out-power not only the Titania, but also Oberon and Puck. Oberon had beaten him with one attack, yet he could distinctly remember knocking him away with the flick of his wrist.

_This power…what is this power? _

_Mako-chan…_

Pushing his mud-stained hands against his face, Kage tried to contain the burning in his head. He had come to China to try and find his new soul, yet all he had found so far was that he was spiraling back into a pit, accelerated by his new powers and terrifying eyes. His Scion powers had always had the capacity for evil, but he had found solace in the Ryuugan and their ability to see the light. But now he felt the tentacles of darkness pulling on him again and, without his only shining beacon of light to save his drowning soul, he feared that he would become something far worse than he had been.

For the first time, he was absolutely terrified of the Ryuugan.

Seeing as the boy had been struck by his own capability, Puck began to walk towards him, the spinning plates revealing their razor-sharp edges and glimmering intent. Watching the tortured boy fall to his knees before him made it even more enjoyable and Puck licked his lips lustfully, saddened that he couldn't enjoy the human as he would like to but fully intent on fulfilling his master's orders. In that, Puck was extremely lethal. "Oh, don't be sad. Whatever power you used to kill Lady Titania obviously exceeds your ability to control it. You can't even remember what you did! While such a power is very arousing, I'm afraid such power has to be snuffed out. It could be very inconvenient to our future plans," he said, raising up a hand and the spiraling metal plate that followed.

Kage showed no reaction and Puck was ready to end it when Zhi suddenly appeared between them, her arms outstretched widely and her face showing how intent she was on protecting the one that had saved her. While she couldn't understand what had happened anymore than Kage could, her eyes were focused and her lips were firm – she was going to stand by him no matter what he did. "Don't touch him! I won't let you hurt him," she warned.

Her tone was such that Puck stopped in his approach, yet kept his killing blow ready to strike, even if it meant going through the young girl. He was very annoyed at her loyalty. "Little nymph, a mouth that is larger than a fist can obscure one's sight. We will have our fun together after I disembowel this horrible creature," he replied.

"I won't let you! I don't care what you say he's done – he has a wonderful soul and a warm heart. He'd never let anything control him!" she yelled back, defending not only his body but his mind and soul. She may have been blinded to the truth by her feelings for him, but she stood by them no matter the cost – no matter what it cost her. She felt that was the basis for the love she felt for him. Even if the truth was less than hope, she also felt that he would do the same for her. "I won't let you touch him," she echoed, then lowered her hands into a fighting stance.

Puck laughed. Once before he had let her out of her restraints in a cruel game of his own delight. He had promised that should she get past him, she could return to her village. The pleasure was in the attempt and he had reveled in her efforts to escape. While he was never allowed to completely rape her, he had spent an entire day tiring her and resisting her attacks; all the while he groped her nubile body and teased her flaring emotions. In the end, he left her exhausted and embarrassed and once more tethered by chains and darkness – all to satisfy his lust for her.

Now, without the restraints of Oberon on him, he would be able to pursue his passion to its beautiful end. Nothing was going to deny him of the pleasure this time. "You have a terrible memory. Do you so long for my touch?" he cooed, lowering his arm slightly to taunt her with a smile.

Zhi glared with a muddy face, her eyes narrowed by her brow. She remembered everything he had done to her and it burned in her memory, forcing her to hate him more and more with every breath. Yet, she slowly took a breath and released it, remembering the mistake she committed with Flute. Her rage had put her into an unwinnable situation and the colossus had brushed her aside because of it. Faced with the perverse Puck, she found there was more at stake than her own horrible memories. Kage knelt behind her, his body slumped forward and the darkness upon him. She had to protect him despite her own desire for revenge.

It was the true test of her feelings for him and she knew that if she ever wanted to be worthy enough to walk next to him, she had to prove it by defeating the one that had nearly robbed her of her innocence.

In response to his question, Zhi surged forward with incredible speed, darting right through the gap in his spiraling defenses and throwing a punch at his smug grin. Puck had been expecting the attack and was even a bit surprised by her improvement, but still evaded her blow with ease before throwing his hand through the air and sending a spinning disc of metal at her. What he didn't expect was that she avoided the disc by pushing off it right as it passed her, her unnatural weight allowing her to come down at him from a height with a heel meant for the same grin. That grin quickly faded as he brought his other hand up and her foot met a metal plate hovering at his hand like a shield. The kick knocked in his shield more than he expected and, for a brief moment, he attempted to reassess his expectations of her.

Zhi continued her assault by kicking and punching in such a fury that Puck had no time to concentrate his plates into spinning for an attack. It was all he could do to keep the two plates at his hands for shields to stop the powerful blows she was delivering. All the while he stepped backwards and blocked, he stared in wonder at her focused eyes and passionate face, feeling even more aroused by her despite the danger she posed. The girl that he had so easily handled before had been given something so powerful that he was having a hard time defending himself. In the time since Kage had freed her from the cell, she had been given hope. That was easily enough to put her on par with the alien and force him into taking her serious.

Whether it was Puck's rising intentions or Zhi's desire to protect someone she cared for, Zhi was finally able to land a blow on Puck as he foot came raking across his face and sent him sprawling into the mud. It was surprisingly satisfying to her and watching him grope around in the mud, she hopped a bit in excitement and stuck her tongue out, finally glad she was able to put aside her fear of him and avenge a small amount of her dignity. "Hah! How do you like my touch now, you pervert?" she jeered, taking her stance once more with a lot more confidence.

Puck slowly rose to his feet, his back to her and his shoulders slumped in anger. While she couldn't see his face, she knew he was more serious about the fight and that she couldn't joke around anymore. The smile slipped from her face and her stance tightened, but Puck stood still, his fists clenched at his sides as the mud dripped off of him disgracefully.

"How dare you," he blurted, his voice wailing in rage.

The indignation of being thrown into the mud was more than he could handle, especially since it was nothing more than a human girl that had done it. If anyone were to hear of it, he would never hear the end of it and he would certainly be discharged from service dishonorably. The foul muck of this insignificant planet was staining his clothes and he was embarrassed when no one was looking. There was no way he could live with the shame and Puck's voice quivered as he repeated himself in a scream, "How dare you!"

The alien quickly turned and threw his hands at her, sending the spinning plates in her direction with terrible intent. While Zhi was confident she could avoid them all, she was suddenly horrified when the four plates suddenly shattered in countless smaller plates and sped towards her with no possibility of being avoided. While sizably smaller than the larger plates and less lethal, she knew there was no way to block them all and resigned to throwing her arms up in front of her, hoping to save her face from terrible injury and the loss of sight.

Her body was suddenly alive with thousands of small cuts and gashes, making her cry out as both material and skin tore open to the plates. The forces of it threw her back into the dirt near Kage and she moaned, her skin feeling like it was on fire and her blood mixing indiscriminately with the mud. While it wasn't life-threatening, the wounds did drain her strength and make it harder to focus; two things she couldn't afford when fighting such an enemy. Moving on her hands and knees, she grit her teeth and looked up to Puck as he stomped out of the bog, his anger piercing the mud on his face and the four spinning plates now combined into one great one above his head. Kage was still out of the fight and Zhi was aching all over, but she still wouldn't give up and let them both die.

After some effort, she shakily stood on the soggy dyke and faced the furious Puck, her own eyes locked with intent and her fists held tightly at her sides. She was hurt and the mud only agitated the wounds, but she wouldn't give up while Kage still needed her. She owed him that much. She only wished that he was watching her valiant effort to save him.

"I have no patience with you. I don't care what Oberon says. I'm going to cut you down!" Puck yelled, throwing both hands forward this time and sending the spinning disc through the air at her.

With her injuries, she would have a harder time avoiding the attack, yet she was confident that her strength would serve her when she needed it. Kage was depending on her. He needed her. With that in her heart, there was no way she would lose even if it meant getting cut down in the process. "I won't you let you hurt Kage-san!" she screamed and prepared to defend herself.

It was then she heard something whoosh past her ear and her eyes widened in shock. The plate bearing down on her suddenly split in two and the pieces sprayed off in different directions, both impacting into the muddy waters of the rice patties and sending plumes of black mud into the air. Both Zhi and Puck were shocked into silence but Zhi was relieved when she felt his presence beside her – the warmth of his body near to hers. She slowly looked up to Kage's pursed face and something choked in her throat, yet she remained silent except for a slight whisper of his name.

Kage merely smirked at the sigh. "Sorry about that. I kinda lost my head for a sec," he said, though she wasn't sure exactly who he was apologizing to. His eyes were focused intently on Puck, but she could somehow feel his gratitude for her efforts in saving him.

While her body was racked with injuries and her emotions had been disturbed, she was coherent and stupid enough to through her arms around him, hugging him out of relief and mindless grinding mud into her wounds. "Kage-san! I'm so glad you're okay!" she was crying, though he was trying to pry her away from him amidst his objections.

Puck was fuming. He had always intended on tiptoeing around a direct confrontation with the brawler but with the insult that had been delivered to him, he was unable to dismiss reality despite what the fight with Flute had taught him. He didn't care how powerful the human was.

He was going to kill them both.

"Scum. Enough playing with you two. I'll slice you both into little pieces and fertilize these fields with your souls!" Puck howled and the two plates broke loose from the ground. Wobbling from Kage's attack and covered in muck, the pieces broke into as many small pieces as could still deal lethal blows and the swarm hovered around Puck like a hive of bees eager to defend their queen. The alien was heaving in anger and all but blinded by his plight. Rarely did one see the stupidity of running into a storm when angry at the thunder.

Kage finally shoved Zhi off of him and scowled, but soon turned his attention back on the enemy. While his mind was still consumed by the uncertainty of the Ryuugan, he had to push aside his fear in order to fight – something he had always been capable of doing.

He was glad to see Puck had lost all of his pompous villainy and was ready to get to business, but he was also eager to further his knowledge of Zhi capabilities in battle. After all, he had missed most of her fight with Puck and was only now realizing this was a good opportunity to learn more about the granddaughter of the man he sought. "You know, old Flutie was saying the same things before I kicked his ass up between his ears. He was a lot stronger than you," he remarked casually.

Puck had let his anger get the best of his judgment and angrily threw his hands forward, sending all of the plates forward in high hopes of ending the fight. As before, the sheer number of edges bearing down denied any evasion, yet since Zhi wasn't the only enemy, Puck's hopes were quickly scattered like raindrops.

Kage stepped forward and thrust his fist through the air, sending a spiraling pulse of energy along the invisible bands that only he could see. The pulse broke the swarm into disarray and continued in a straight line at Puck, its potent impulse unbroken by the spray of sharp metal. Puck barely had enough time to disappear from the line of fire. He reappeared in the air, his dirty face twisted in fury, though his escape was short lived as he heard the high pitch of Zhi's voice nearby. She had predicted his flight and was already almost on top of him. Without his metal plates, Puck had little success blocking her kick, though its true purpose upon contact with his head was to spin him and give her access for her next attack. In a feat of acrobatics and due to her unnatural weight, Zhi grabbed his legs and pressed her feet into his chest, aiming his body towards the elusive ground. Puck was too disoriented to see the danger.

With a powerful push of her legs, Zhi jumped from his body right as it aligned to the ground, sending him down to the hard earth with far more force than usual and making his body carve a large crater when it finally hit. His head reeling and his blood boiling, Puck stumbled to his feet with dirt showing in his white teeth. He bore them like an animal. He was already spitting out curses through the bitter taste when his eyes focused on a far more horrible sight – a dragon in his face.

Kage's whipping kick launched Puck a fair distance to a small grove of trees and rocks, his scrawny frame bouncing painfully against two thick trunks and his breath blowing out uncontrollably. As he had stood no chance against Kage alone and was embarrassed by the human girl, the combination of them both destroyed his glamorous self-expectations and left him as nothing more than a ball of dirt, sweat and curses.

With mercury-like blood seeping from his wounds, Puck tried to navigate his blurry vision as he lurched to his feet. All he could see was shadows and bright lights. The rice patties appeared much as mirrors laying broken across the countryside, making him long for his distant home. He tried to remember what he had done to deserve such a fate, whether it was his pride that had made him underestimate the humans or his inflated lust for sexual pleasures and trophies. In the times when he had sat and lusted for the chained human girl, his eyes doing what his hands were forbidden from, he would have never believed she would have been the one to cause him so much agony. Even as he had watched in horror as Kage had defied both Oberon and Titania in whatever rage had taken him, he never expected that he would be in such a mess. As an after thought, he severely regretted ever coming to the planet called Earth.

While blind and weakened beyond reprieve, Puck was still trying to summon his weapons and held his hands at his sides. His fingers were stretched as far as he could push them, the muscles of his arms aching at the strain and the force pushing even more blood out of his wounds. Little bit little, the broken remnants of his metal plates had come together in front of him, churning into a large glowing disc that began to rotate to the beating of his heart. As he turned faster and faster, Puck formed it into the hardest plate he had ever constructed – something that would defend against any attack thrown at him. He was confident that if he could survive long enough to gather his remaining strength, he could put forth one final effort and defeat the two humans.

What his blurry vision denied him of was the end. Kage was already close enough to test the strength of the plate, but it was obvious Zhi was the one that wanted revenge for all of the terrible things that had been done to her and her village. She had been unable to defeat the colossus Flute, but she was already in motion to deal the final blow to Puck.

Lunging towards Kage, she moved with some unknown expectations in her heart. Her movements were natural and she didn't even tell him what she had planned, yet Kage moved in perfect harmony to her plan, arching his body around to send a kick towards Puck even though he stood a good distance away. The mysterious energy that Kage commanded was already forming at the edge of his foot like a stone falling through the atmosphere when Zhi landed on his foot, her delicate weight barely shaking his powerful kick as it shot her towards Puck's last defense. The catapult-like maneuver launched her like a bullet and her feet were aimed at her enemy. She hit the plate hard with her feet and yelled as she pushed through its attitude. It had little chance to withstand the power and smashed into Puck, kocking him back into a great stone behind him. As both Zhi and metal plate impacted into him, a large chunk of rock exploded from the backside of the stone – a gruesome testament to the power of the blow. All of the necessities of life spewed from Puck's mouth and his eyes nearly popped from their sockets.

The blow was final.

As Zhi stepped back, her feet numb from the impact but her hands shaking in satisfaction, the metal plate began to melt all around Puck, covering him in a gooey coffin that seemed to merge with his body and distort it. The shiny metal began to blemish and turn to a dark brown color, as if the metal was returning to its natural state in tune with the stone.

Puck said nothing more, but only moaned in his reversion. His eyes were lifeless and empty and that disturbed Zhi no matter how much she hated the man. With no thought left behind them, Puck's eyes melted just as the rest of him was and soon he appeared nothing more than a great growth on the stone – a vein of distorted ore that looked as if the rock itself had spat him out. The landscape was marred by signs from the battle but the distorted stone barely caught the eye – a modest tombstone for such a flamboyant character.

Her wounds getting the best of her, Zhi fell to her knees and winced. The mud was like sandpaper across her cuts and she felt chained by its heavy weight. She was looking around for some water to clean herself in when a shadow appeared over her, causing her to pause and close her eyes. This time she wasn't ashamed that she wasn't able to help, but only that she looked so terrible. Although he was just as stained, she wanted to clean up before letting him look at her, despite the fact she felt stupid because of it. "Kage-san…" she said.

"You did good, brat," he said abruptly, making her forget her troubles and look up at him. He wasn't smiling, but he did look at her with a sort of affection. Like someone else he knew, she had been willing to stand up for him even when he couldn't do it himself – something he thought was admirable, if only a bit stupid. Still, he was surprised how strong she was and that her loyalty was unbroken by pain.

It made her glad he saved her. "Let's move on," he ordered in a firm voice, his pace used to forget the things that had happened to them.

His mind was racing as she followed. He still had no idea how he had killed Titania or escaped from Oberon. He didn't know what part of the Ryuugan gave him that much power yet still robbed him of his memory and control. He especially didn't know if he could return to the people who cared about him when there was still a part of him that was dangerous.

What he did know was that this girl was the granddaughter of the man that could help and that she had shown him a level of devotion that he wasn't used it. His mind and soul were both tormented by doubt and fear, but he trusted her enough to stay near. If Liu Kuan Yin could somehow explain to him the purpose of the Ryuugan, he would take the risk of letting her close. He didn't know why, but he was certain that she could handle herself.

That was something else she shared with the person that he cared for most.


	12. Finding the Master

**Chapter Twelve – Finding the Master**

When the powerful monolith known as Mt. Jinhua loomed affectionately in the distance, Zhi knew that she was home. The fields she had played in and the streams she had drunk from were embracing her all around and she was barely able to keep herself from running to rest of the way. A mixture of fear and anticipation wet her tongue, though she didn't know which she was more afraid of; whether her village would be ravaged beyond recognition or that her haste would turn her eyes away from her companion long enough for him to disappear. She had been weary of Kage's tumbling mood ever since the fight with Puck but she was still barely able to keep him in mind when her home was so tauntingly close.

Finally, as the playful hills and open rice patties focused in Dajing came into view. It seemed to spill out of an ancient storybook. The scrubby trees and lazy grasses merged with the simple buildings, with paths zagging their way over the countryside like veins under skin. The sound of the river was like a cheering welcome to weary ears. Even the wind was at Zhi's back – pushing closer to home.

The young girl could hardly believe she was home again. A trespassing tear blurred her vision slightly as she looked back to Kage, her words distorted by her happiness and a great smile upon her face. She tried for a moment to think of something profound to say to him, yet emotion often overran reason and she just choked out a giddy sob. She was too happy to be home and nothing else mattered at the moment.

"Hello? Hello! Is anyone here?" she cried as she took a few jogging steps into the village. They hadn't seen anyone in the fields or walking among the buildings and that frightened Zhi, yet she didn't give up hope that everyone she ever remembered would come walking out of a residence – happy to see her home again. Her heart was running as wildly as her mind as she tried to conceive of every reason no one was around. She hadn't even noticed that most of the buildings were either destroyed or damaged and that the ground was still scarred with injuries from the battle with Oberon.

Zhi wouldn't give up hope. She continued to call out in Chinese – her heart ever alive in the wait that followed. It was then she was answered.

Three old women came walking around a building, their hands dirty with work and holding baskets. They were talking about something only working women talk about in the course of an ordinary day, their old faces seemingly void of any concern over the terrible fate of their people.

When Zhi saw them, her eyes lit up and she cried out. Her instincts finally overcame her fears and she ran to them, babbling random things in her native language while the old women looked in shock at her. Soon enough, they recognized the wayward child of Dajing and cried out as well. They welcomed her with open arms.

The ruckus attracted the attention of other in the village and soon a crowd was gathering around the group. So many of the residents of Dajing were shocked to see Zhi alive and well, especially since the group that had taken her was able to defeat the strongest fighters of the village without effort. Many had assumed a terrible fate for such a young girl, yet even now they felt her innocence preserved within her smile. They were all assaulting her with question and stories all while she just cried in joy, hugging one of the older women tightly to try and hide her tear-streaked face.

Soon a powerful voice came cutting through the crowd and Zhi instantly froze. It was a voice that she thought she'd never hear again, yet it spoke her name with such affection that she wouldn't dare presume it to be a dream. The crowd parted slightly and her eyes fell on him. Her heart quickened. Had she been able to stand back and think over the situation, she would have remembered that many people were watching and that she was expected to act a certain way even in these circumstances. Yet nothing was able to stop her from rushing forward and throwing her arms around Xue. It was simply what her heart told her to do.

Xue was very surprised but smiled. His free hand was placed calmly across the back of her head and he listened to her sporadic sobbing. It was so garbled that he couldn't understand her, yet he knew exactly what she was saying. All he did was smile and let her cry a moment.

Quickly after gaining her composure, Zhi stepped back, wiping the tears from her eyes all while trying to get her mind to catch up with her heart. "I can't believe you're okay. The last thing I saw was…" she was saying in heart-stricken Chinese, though being with Kage so much recently forced her to say a few words in Japanese.

Xue scratched his head sheepishly at the thought of his own defeat. Just as she was realizing it, he leaned on the carved wooden cane in his other hand and looked down. Xue left leg was still bandaged and showing a bit of swelling. He had already accepted the fact that he would never be able to walk normal again and that his days of martial art were over, yet he also accepted that he had a new task in the village since the elders had all been killed by Oberon.

Xue was now the leader of the village. "It isn't important," he said, taking her horrified eyes from his leg and bringing her back to the joyous moment, "You have returned to us. We are rebuilding our village and our backs are strong. Our mysterious enemy fails to return and even if they do, we shall stand against them once more."

Without knowing, Zhi stared at Xue. They had grown up together and shared many things, but she had never realized how strong he was. Even as the ruined village stood around them, she was instilled with confidence by the way he spoke. The rest of the villagers felt it as well. Although Xue may have lost the fight to defend his village, he now stood as the protector of Dajing.

Now that she had returned, he was also now the protector of Zhi. "Tell us of your story. How is it you escaped from our mysterious enemy?" Xue asked and the crowd hushed. They also wanted to know about Oberon and the others and how Zhi was able to make her way back to Dajing.

Zhi had been so swept away by her reunion that she had completely forgotten about Kage. Seeing Xue and the others had turned her back, yet now as she whipped around to where he stood, she wasn't so surprised to see no one standing there. Kage was gone. Her eyes fell slightly and she truly wished to show them who had saved her, yet she was also oddly convinced that while he had wandered away from the eyes of everyone, she would most certainly see him once again.

Looking back to Xue and the others, she smiled and knew it.

* * *

Kage had been walking. The roar of the river had beckoned him and the rocky path he strolled upon spoke parables under his boots. The trees and grasses all around attempted to manipulate him, to fool him into believing that he was home – that this was his home. But he knew better. His real home was long since gone and even the place where his heart dwelt was far, far away. At times, he could remember the place he grew up. He remembered the way the rice patties smelled early in the morning dew or how the cicadas and the frogs were alive in symphonic amplitude when the sun dipped below the horizon. Life in the countryside had been freedom, even when his parents had tragically died. Yet he always had something to assure him of the totality of happiness.

Kage tripped over a rock when his mind brushed against the memories of his sister. When he was a Scion, he had often thought about her as a way to keep his hatred alive – keep it fresh. He used her to justify his madness and the things he had done. Yet that was precisely the reason he wouldn't allow himself to think of her anymore. The drenching red stains on his hands were nothing compared to the stains in his mind. His used her memory as an instrument of hate and that, above all other things, was what he regretted most. Now even his pure love for her felt tainted – buried under the intense loathing he felt for himself.

How he would ever get past it, he didn't know. All he knew was the one person who wanted to help him try was so far even the Ryuugan couldn't see her. Fear and weakness were two other burdens that only fueled his self-hatred.

Kage finally came upon the violent siren of the river. A tumbling waterfall was carving a large pool at its base, yet it still came down upon the crumbling boulders of the mountain. The mist of cool water quenched his wandering mind and Kage closed his eyes, letting the sounds and sensations of the grotto pry his mind from the unpleasantness of his past. He could hear no voices here aside from the voice of the river. Zhi and her loved ones were a thousand miles away – safe. Even the facets of Tokyo seemed to melt away in the essence of the grotto. Not a muscle in his body moved for several minutes.

For the first time in a very long time, Kage was able to relax.

Suddenly, there was a very odd sensation piercing the waterfall's trance. Despite the wind and water caressing him, he was suddenly aware of something distinctly human also caressing him. A hand had somehow strayed dangerously close to his crotch and Kage nearly slipped into the pool in his surprise, his voice arching so high that it shattered the water's harmony. "What the hell…!" he was roaring when suddenly he found the violator.

An ancient old man was standing before him. He was short and uninteresting with a long white beard and moustache. He wore his clothing in a very old style and his hands and feet seemed tempered by a long life of use. The old man encompassed the expectations of an old Chinese master, yet somehow struck Kage as more odd than anything. He was grinning widely and seemed pleased with his wayward grope. The Japanese youth was hardly as impressed. "The hell you want, you old goat! I about tore your head off," Kage seethed. The heated retort brought a chittering answer from the old man, though he replied in Chinese and he replied in length.

Kage suddenly felt very stupid. Because Zhi was able to speak in Japanese, he had forgotten that he was right in the middle of China and that the population had probably never even heard Japanese before. Furiously screaming at an old man in a foreign language struck him as idiotic, yet in spite of the fact he was able to take some of his frustrations out in a manner befitting the brawler. "Yeah, find the tallest oak in the forest and sit on it to you too, gramps," he sneered, turning away to put some distance away from the old man even as he continued his chat. If there was one thing Kage didn't want at the moment, it was to have some ancient Chinese raisin talking his ear off in a language he didn't care to understand.

The Japanese youth took a few more steps up the path when he felt another queer sensation. This time the old man had planted both hands firmly on Kage's buttocks and even squeezed a little. Such an act brought about a furious reaction in the brawler and Kage suddenly had the old man by the front of his shirt, lifting clearly from the ground and almost turning pink with rage. He just couldn't believe imagine why someone would have such a death wish. "You shitty little…" Kage was growling, but soon he caught glimpse of something very quieting. The old man was blind. His ancient eyes were glazed over in fine white silk and there was only an afterthought of a pupil visible. His groping and handling suddenly became very logical – the old man couldn't see where his hands were going. The air suddenly became heavy as the reality of misfortune settled over them both.

Kage still held the man. Despite noticing his handicap, the brawler was still very inspired to do some damage to the creep. For someone as jaded as himself, age and injury had very little leverage when it came to terms of honor. He still felt embarrassed. However, he also felt persuaded to simply let it be. "Kuh, figures. I know you can't understand me, ass wipe, but today's your lucky day," said Kage, who began to put the man down.

"You have no idea how right you are, Yamamori Kage," replied the old man in antiquated Japanese – as if he were suddenly of Kage's own lineage.

Kage stuttered in his release. He was even forced to try and look away for another source of the voice, yet he couldn't pull his attention away from the smiling old man. His Ryuugan eyes stuck tightly to him and his hand instinctively gripped tighter around the shirt. This was suddenly something far more serious than a simple stray hand and language barrier.

Kage felt genuinely threatened by the old man. "Who the hell are you?" he snarled. The old man smiled widely to his captor, seemingly unconcerned that he was at the mercy of such a vicious fighter.

With the roaring of the waterfall framing them, the two stood at odds for a few moments; one knowing and one asking. Kage was oblivious to many things, yet his mind was solely focused on learning why this man knew who he was. The old man was silent in his dominance. He simply enjoyed the way the youth reacted to it all.

Then came the answer to the question, but not from either of the two in the standoff. "Grandfather!" called a voice which led Zhi on a leash. She had been looking for both of them, yet was very surprised to find them together. What was even more surprising was that Kage was holding her grandfather in a violent moment, something that put her at odds within herself. So conflicted was her heart that he simply stopped and spoke their named, torn at which one to look at longer, "Grandfather? Kage-san?"

Kage whipped his eyes back onto the old man and they narrowed. The Ryuugan were set upon the only man prophesized to know their secrets and his reflection smiled back at him in friendly perfection, as if two long-time friends united. Kage's hand stayed tightly within the folds of the man's shirt, yet he didn't know if it was because he had finally found the man he was looking for or because the man he had been looking for was blind. It was so ridiculous that Kage almost laughed. Yet he dared not look away for whatever power or demons were locked away inside the Ryuugan, the fragile man he held with such contempt was possibly the only person who could assist him with it.

Stemming from the recent terror concerning Titania and Oberon, Kage's main reason to hold him so tight was not out of contempt, but out of fear that if he were to let the old man go, he would possibly lose the only way to control this power he was given. That fear was something that the Ryuugan couldn't hide even bandaged behind a torn piece of cloth. Despite his fearsome demeanor and brutish manners, Kage was a frightened child behind powerful eyes – something that he cursed as part of his fate. All he wanted was the ability to control his powers.

He wanted it so he could never hurt _her _again.

The old man simply smiled at Kage. It was time. Both his granddaughter and the brawler were finally set in place. All was his to see through. He had known about this moment almost all his life and that his duty was quickly coming to an end. He knew sorrow lingered for his granddaughter, a girl of brilliant innocence and heart. But he also knew that she would soon find her place and never be alone again. So many things were about to begin and it thrilled the old man into laughter.

It all started with his name, "My name is Liu Kuan Yin. I have been waiting for you for a very, very long time."


End file.
